Minnesota Nurses Association
345 Randolph Avenue #200, St. Paul, MN 55102
651-414-2800 / 800-536-4662
Fax: 651-695-7000 Web: www.mnnurses.org
MINNESOTA NURSES ASSOCIATION (MNA) RESOLUTION
Medical Cannabis
WHEREAS, medical cannabis may provide relief for various symptoms of disease which are
unresolved by other methods of treatment or pharmacology; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota state law only allows patients with one of nine certified health
conditions to access medical cannabis; and
WHEREAS, as of July 3, 2015, under 100 patients have been declared eligible to participate
in the program and only 232 providers were registered to certify patients into
the medical cannabis program; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota state law does not allow healthcare facilities to unreasonably restrict
medical cannabis; and
WHEREAS, many Minnesota healthcare facilities do not intend to allow medical cannabis
utilization within their facility.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Minnesota Nurses Association, on behalf of its
members:
1. urges the Minnesota Commissioner of Health to, without delay, add intractable pain and
terminal illness without qualification as qualifying medical conditions for the use of medical
cannabis; and
2. encourages physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and other eligible
healthcare providers to register with the Minnesota Department of Health in order to
certify patients into the medical cannabis program; and
3. support and advocate for our patients’ lawful use of medical cannabis at both an individual
and a systems level; and
4. censures Minnesota healthcare facilities which contravene state law by placing more than
“reasonable restrictions” on patients’ lawful use of medical cannabis; and
5. encourages passage of a law expanding the list of qualifying health conditions and
imposing fines on healthcare facilities which unreasonably restrict patients’ lawful use of
medical cannabis.
Submitted by the Commission on Nursing Practice and Education
Adopted by the MNA House of Delegates October 6, 2015