South Dakota began its medical marijuana industry in July of last year, but access to the state program may have been challenging for residents since then.
Instead of using the words “prescribe,” or “recommend,” doctors are using the word “validate” about its use for patients.
As of March 29, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) reports that only 90 South Dakota doctors have been approved to validate the use of medical marijuana to their patients. There are currently 3 pending and 45 have been denied. DOH content developer and web strategist Jennifer Baker noted that denied applications for physician accounts are typically patients inadvertently applying through the physician portal.
According to South Dakota rules, a physician is needed to begin the process of a medical card application. A prospective patient must schedule an appointment with a physician who is licensed to prescribe medication. According to state law, a person needs an in-person visit with a physician with whom you have a ‘bona fide practitioner-patient relationship.’
Upon meeting with a phsyician, the practitioner will make the decision on whether the person would benefit from medical cannabis. If the physician decides to move forward, they will need to create an account with the DOH, which must be approved before the application can progress. If the doctor’s account is approved, an email will be sent to the patient to create an account of their own.
As of March 29, there are 306 approved patient card applications, 21 pending applications and zero have been denied, according to DOH data.
