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Medical Cannabis - For Patients and Caregivers

The following information is designed and organized to help certified patients and caregivers understand Iowa’s Medical Cannabis Program. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

The document below was created to provide answers to the most common questions from patients and prospective patients about Iowa's Medical Cannabis Program.

Online Application Guidelines

The document below is a step-by-step walkthrough for guiding patients through our online application process:

The document below is a step-by-step walkthrough for guiding caregivers through our online application process:

Qualifying Conditions

An Iowa resident may qualify for Iowa's Medical Cannabis Program if their Healthcare Practitioner certifies they have one of the following Qualifying Debilitating Medical Conditions:  

  • Cancer – if the illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, cachexia or severe wasting.
  • Seizures
  • Crohn’s disease  
  • Chronic pain
  • Multiple Sclerosis with severe and persistent muscle spasms
  • AIDS or HIV (as defined in Iowa Code, section 141A.1)
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Any terminal illness with a probable life expectancy of under one year – if the illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, cachexia or severe wasting
  • Ulcerative colitis 
  • Severe, intractable pediatric autism with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors
  • Severe, intractable autism with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors
  • Corticobasal Degeneration 

Patients Start the Process

If a patient has any of the qualifying conditions listed above, and is interested in medical cannabis, the first step is to schedule an appointment with your Healthcare Practitioner (MD/DO, ARNP, PA, or podiatrist). Before visiting with your healthcare practitioner, patients should download the following two documents and bring them with you to your consultation:

  • Healthcare Practitioner Certification Form - This is the form that your healthcare practitioner will sign if they are to certify a patient's condition.
  • Patient Information Sheet - This is information about medical cannabis that healthcare practitioners are required to discuss with patients seeking certification of their qualifying condition for the use of medical cannabis.
  • Apply Online  - After your healthcare practitioner has signed your Healthcare Practitioner Certification Form, use our online registration system, which can be found on our "Patient Registration" page.

Renewing Your Card?

A patient’s medical cannabis registration card expires one year from the time it is issued by Iowa HHS. Patients will be notified by letter or email 60 days prior to their card expiring. To renew their card, each year, a patient must:

  • Visit their healthcare practitioner to have their condition recertified.
  • Submit the same forms to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services as listed above.
  • Provide the necessary payment.

Available Medical Cannabis Products

Iowa’s manufacturers produces medical cannabis products in different forms and strengths. Examples can be found at our two manufacturer's websites.

Allowable Forms of Medical Cannabis in Iowa

  • Oral forms - tablets, capsules, liquids, tinctures and sublingual forms
  • Topical forms - gels, ointments, creams, lotions and transdermal patches
  • Nebulizable inhaled forms
  • Suppositories - rectal and vaginal
  • Vaporization 

Dispensary Locations & Hours of Operation

Medical Cannabis is currently available at five dispensaries across the state. The locations include:

  • Bud & Mary's – 5700 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City, IA 51106
    • Mon: 11am-6pm
    • Tues - Fri: 10am-6pm
    • Sat: 9am-3PM
    • Sun: Closed
  • Iowa Cannabis Company West - 3615 9th Ave, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
    • Mon - Sun: 10am-6pm
  • Bud & Mary's – 7239 Apple Valley Drive, Windsor Heights, IA 50324
    • Mon - Fri: 9am-8pm
    • Sat: 9am-5pm
    • Sun: Closed
  • Iowa Cannabis Company – 1955 La Porte Road, Waterloo, IA 50702
    • Mon - Sun: 10am-6pm
  • Iowa Cannabis Company East - 322 Highway 1 W, Iowa City, IA 52245
    • Mon - Sun: 10am-6pm