While marijuana use remains illegal at the federal level, 27 states and the District of Columbia have made medical use legal.
This page explores comprehensive medical marijuana laws for patients, including the diseases and symptoms that qualify a patient to use medical marijuana, where medical marijuana can be used, whether non-residents can use medical marijuana, and the possession limits for patients. This dataset includes states with comprehensive medical marijuana programs; it does not include state laws allowing the medical use of low-THC products in certain situations.
There are now 28 jurisdictions that allow patients to use medical marijuana. In addition, 24 states and the District of Columbia have authorized the operation of dispensaries that give citizens access to medical marijuana products. In those jurisdictions, various state departments are often responsible for developing and implementing the regulations for dispensaries. The regulations focusing on registration and licensing, the number of dispensaries allowed, their location, and operation are examined on this page.
In recent years, 27 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. All 28 jurisdictions authorize qualifying patients to appoint a caregiver or caregivers who can help patients acquire, transport or cultivate medical marijuana. Caregivers provide ailing patients with varying degrees of assistance based upon state statutory and regulatory limitations. This dataset analyzes state guidelines for medical marijuana caregivers, including caregiver qualifications and permissible caregiver activities.
Unintentional drug overdose is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Overdose bystanders may not call for medical assistance for fear of being arrested for drug-related or other crimes. In response, most states have enacted "Good Samaritan" laws that create immunities or other legal protections for people who call for help in the event of an overdose. Some states have passed comprehensive Good Samaritan overdose prevention laws that provide broad protection.
This preliminary dataset examines the laws and policies on medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder at state correctional facilities. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three drugs for the treatment of opioid use disorder: buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. Currently, Rhode Island is the only state that offers all three FDA-approved medications for MAT to all state inmates. Some states provide all three medications at some of their correctional facilities.
This dataset examines statutes, regulations, and preferred drug lists regarding Medicaid’s coverage of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). This dataset includes questions on which of the ten U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved MAT drugs are covered by Medicaid.
This dataset is cross-sectional, capturing currently effective law valid through August 1, 2019.
Involuntary commitment laws for substance use authorize the involuntary arrest, detention, and/or treatment of an individual for substance use. This dataset examines important features of involuntary commitment laws specifically focused on substance use.
This dataset examines statutes and regulations regarding the effect of incarceration on the state Medicaid enrollment status of Medicaid eligible people. This dataset includes questions on jurisdictions terminating Medicaid upon incarceration, suspending Medicaid upon incarceration, and how long Medicaid can be suspended. As this dataset only considers statutes and regulations, policies of correction departments and individual correctional facilities are not reflected here.
This dataset is cross-sectional, capturing currently effective law valid through August 1, 2019.
This dataset examines statutes that authorize the prosecution of drug-related deaths as criminal killings. Oftentimes referred to as drug induced homicide laws, these laws establish criminal liability for individuals who furnish or deliver controlled substances to another individual who dies as a result. These laws vary from state to state in how they are classified, how they are sentenced, and what elements need to be proven. This dataset highlights these differences among state drug induced homicide laws.
Tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, known to cause cancer and other harmful health conditions, including, but not limited to, respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Implementing evidence-based policies that reduce smoking and tobacco consumption can decrease tobacco-related illnesses and death. One of the most effective strategies to decrease tobacco use is to raise the price of tobacco products, something which state governments can accomplish by establishing specific taxes and pricing limits for tobacco products.
