Nevada Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions

The 14 Qualifying Conditions

The following conditions are established in NRS 678C.010 and administered by Nevada’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH). The list has expanded over the years as the legislature has added new conditions.

Brief Clinical Context

Below is a short note on each category. Cannabis is not a cure for any of these conditions; the program reflects state policy that cannabis may help manage symptoms in patients whose treating providers consider it appropriate.

Cancer and Cancer-Treatment Side Effects

Cancer was on Nevada’s original qualifying-condition list. Cannabis is most often used to address chemotherapy-induced nausea, appetite loss, and pain — not the underlying disease. Nausea and anorexia/cachexia are also separately listed conditions, which means cancer patients often qualify under multiple categories.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma was one of the earliest indications recognized in U.S. medical-cannabis programs because THC modestly lowers intraocular pressure. Most ophthalmologists today prefer FDA-approved glaucoma drops, but the indication remains in NRS 678C.010.

AIDS and HIV-Related Conditions

Both “AIDS” and “A medical condition related to AIDS or HIV” appear on the list, covering both the disease itself and HIV-associated wasting, neuropathy, or treatment side effects.

Severe or Chronic Pain

This is the most common qualifying diagnosis nationally and in Nevada. The statute does not specify a minimum pain duration or severity score; the certifying provider exercises clinical judgment.

Severe Nausea

Often certified for chemotherapy patients, hyperemesis gravidarum (with caution), and severe gastrointestinal disease. Distinct from anorexia/cachexia although the two often overlap.

Muscle Spasms, Including Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is named explicitly, but the category covers any source of severe persistent muscle spasms — spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, dystonia, etc.

Seizures, Including Epilepsy

Includes both epilepsy and other seizure disorders. CBD-dominant products are commonly used; FDA-approved Epidiolex is also available outside the cannabis program.

PTSD (Covered Under Anxiety Disorder)

Nevada does not list PTSD as a stand-alone condition, but PTSD is routinely certified under the broader “anxiety disorder” category that the legislature added more recently. A certifying provider in Nevada may issue a card for a PTSD diagnosis under that umbrella. Veterans should bring documentation of their VA diagnosis to the evaluation; VA physicians cannot certify directly, but private Nevada-licensed providers can review VA records.

Anxiety Disorder

Added in the more recent expansion of NRS 678C.010. Covers generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and PTSD as discussed above.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Covers patients across the autism spectrum. Pediatric patients require a custodial parent or guardian to serve as the registered caregiver.

Autoimmune Disease

A broad category that includes lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and other autoimmune conditions. Many patients use cannabis adjunctively for pain, sleep, and inflammation symptoms.

Anorexia or Cachexia

Wasting syndromes associated with cancer, HIV, advanced kidney disease, and other serious illness. Cannabis’s appetite-stimulating effects are well-documented.

Opioid Use Dependence

Added as Nevada and other states have looked for tools to address the opioid crisis. Patients in opioid-replacement therapy may qualify; coordination with the prescribing provider is recommended.

Neuropathic Conditions

Covers diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and other nerve-pain syndromes.

The Division of Public and Behavioral Health administers the Medical Marijuana Patient Cardholder Registry for the State of Nevada under NRS 678C.

Nevada DPBH

What If My Condition Is Not Listed?

Nevada does not currently have a formal “petition” pathway for adding new conditions; expansions historically have come through legislative amendments to NRS 678C.010. If your diagnosis does not match the list, talk to a Nevada-licensed provider — many conditions can be certified under one of the broader categories above (e.g., severe or chronic pain, anxiety disorder, autoimmune disease, neuropathic conditions).

For Research-Backed Information

For evidence-based summaries on how cannabis may affect specific conditions, see TryCannabis.org’s conditions guide. Always consult your treating physician about whether cannabis is appropriate for your specific situation.

Next Steps

• If you match one of the 14 conditions, see how to apply for a Nevada medical card.
• Compare the costs and benefits on the cost & renewal page.
• Out-of-state visitors should review Nevada medical card reciprocity.