Qualifying Conditions For SC’s Proposed Medical Cannabis Bill

• Qualifying conditions. The bill’s qualifying conditions are cancer; multiple sclerosis; a neurological disease or disorder (including epilepsy); sickle cell anemia; PTSD; autism; Crohn’s disease; ulcerative colitis; cachexia; a condition causing a person to be homebound that includes severe or persistent nausea; terminal illness; a chronic medical condition causing severe and persistent muscle spasms; or a chronic medical condition for which an opioid is or could be prescribed based on standards of care.
  • Special documentation is required for PTSD and alternatives to opioids.
  • If the condition is one for which an opioid is currently or could be prescribed, the physician must either (1) attest that they have reviewed objective proof of the etiology of the patient’s pain, such as an MRI or X-ray, or (2) attest that the patient has been diagnosed with a specific medical condition or disease that causes the patient severe pain, including complex regional pain syndrome, residual limb pain, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord disease, spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia, shingles, or trigeminal neuralgia. For option (2), the physician must have either diagnosed the debilitating disease or verified the diagnosis with the treating physician.
  • If the condition is PTSD, the physician must have verified evidence of trauma required by DHEC, such as proof of military service in an active combat zone, that the patient was the victim of a violent or sexual crime, or that they were a first responder.
  • The condition must also be debilitating to the individual patient.

Summary of S423 – SC Compassionate Care Alliance