MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Office of Cannabis Management says it will not add additional delivery methods to its medical cannabis program until 2025.
The office defines the method of administration as the form in which a drug is taken.
Three petitions to expand the delivery method to include inhalation of dry powder, infused flower and concentrates were submitted to the office for review before the state’s Dec. 1 deadline.
The Office of Cannabis Management says they reviewed the petitions based on an assessment of scientific evidence and potential impacts on patient health and safety.
The office says dry powder inhalers are one method consuming dry powder containing THC, CBD and/or other cannabinoids. Medical cannabis inhalers are similar to inhalers used for asthma.
Due to federal restrictions on cannabis research, the agency passed on inhalers due to the limited peer-reviewed studies showing the method is safe for medical cannabis patients, the Office of Cannabis Management says.
“Minnesota’s medical cannabis program has been in existence for a decade and during that time has prioritized its responsibility to balance our patients’ need for relief from acutely diagnosed medical conditions with the responsibility to ensure that the products used for them available are safe and beneficial,” said Charlene. Briner, interim director of the Office of Cannabis Management. “That balance is the lens we used to make decisions on the three petitions considered this year.”
However, the agency says that as future research becomes available, this delivery method may be reconsidered.
Infused flower and cannabis concentrates are cannabis products with a high THC content. While higher THC levels are beneficial for some patients, they have also been shown to increase the risk of adverse health problems and cannabis use disorders, the Office of Cannabis Management says.
For information on approved medical cannabis administration methods and how to become a medical cannabis patient, click here.
WCCO personnel
