Last verified: April 2026
The Closed List + The Act 424 Catch-All
Louisiana's qualifying-condition framework has two parts: an enumerated list of conditions from the LDH rule, and an open-ended physician-discretion catch-all from Act 424 of 2021. The catch-all is what makes Louisiana one of the broadest medical-cannabis jurisdictions in the country.
The Closed List (LDH rule)
- Cancer
- HIV / AIDS positive status
- Glaucoma
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Seizure disorders / epilepsy
- Spasticity
- Crohn's disease
- Muscular dystrophy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
- Alzheimer's disease
- Severe muscle spasms
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Huntington's disease
- Chronic pain associated with cancer or a debilitating condition
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
The Act 424 (2021) Catch-All
The closed list above is largely academic because of Act 424 of 2021, which gives any Louisiana-licensed physician authority to recommend cannabis for "any condition the physician, in his medical opinion, considers debilitating to a particular patient." This is one of the broadest physician-discretion provisions in U.S. medical-cannabis law — broader, in language, than even Oklahoma's.
How the Catch-All Works in Practice
Act 424's "any debilitating condition" language gives Louisiana physicians significantly more latitude than peer-state programs. Conditions commonly recommended under the catch-all but not on the closed list:
- Anxiety disorders — generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety.
- Sleep disorders — insomnia, sleep apnea-related disturbance.
- Fibromyalgia — chronic widespread pain syndrome.
- Inflammatory bowel disease — Crohn's is on the list; UC and IBS are catch-all territory.
- Migraine and chronic headache.
- Endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain.
- Restless leg syndrome.
- Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders.
The catch-all is broader, in language, than even Oklahoma's open-recommendation framework. The closed list still controls patient marketing and program rules, but in practice the catch-all is what allows most non-listed conditions to be recommended.
Pediatric Patients
Louisiana permits pediatric medical-cannabis recommendations, particularly for refractory epilepsy (the original 2015 pathway). Pediatric patients require parental consent and physician supervision. Limited pediatric formulations are available through the pharmacies — primarily CBD-dominant tinctures for pediatric epilepsy.
The Recommending Physician Requirement
Any Louisiana-licensed MD or DO in good standing may recommend cannabis. The physician does not need a separate "marijuana license" but must be willing to recommend. Some Louisiana physicians specialize in cannabis recommendation; others incorporate it into broader pain-management or behavioral-health practices.
Patient-advocacy organizations including NORML Louisiana and the Louisiana Cannabis Industry Association maintain referral lists of recommending physicians.
Telemedicine Recommendations
Louisiana permits telemedicine recommendation visits with Louisiana-licensed physicians. The patient must be physically located in Louisiana at the time of the visit. The recommendation document is digital and uploaded to the pharmacy registration system.
What's Required for an Initial Recommendation
- Louisiana-resident proof (driver's license or state ID).
- Medical-history disclosure including current medications.
- Documentation of the qualifying condition (where applicable; closed-list conditions usually require records, catch-all conditions can be physician-attested).
- Consent to the recommendation framework.
Renewals
Recommendations require periodic renewal — typically annually for most conditions, more frequently for some. Most physicians offer telemedicine renewal visits.
Out-of-State Patients
Louisiana does not honor out-of-state medical cards. Tourists and visitors cannot enroll in the Louisiana program; the recommending physician must be Louisiana-licensed and the patient must be a Louisiana resident. See no-reciprocity page.
Reading the Statute
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org