ALS, Huntington's disease and West Virginia's qualifying list
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington's disease each have their own line on West Virginia's list of serious medical conditions. If you have either diagnosis, the law's wording matches it directly. Most of this article is about the practical side, because both illnesses change over time and the program asks for paperwork every year.
The entries, word for word
Two entries name these diseases outright, and a third, about the spinal cord, comes up in conversations with neurologists often enough to include here.
| Wording in the law | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease. No stage or symptom is attached. |
| Huntington's disease | The inherited brain disorder, again with no stage attached. If you were looking for the city in Cabell County, see our Huntington city guide. |
| Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity | Spinal cord damage where an exam or test shows stiffness or spasms that have not let up with treatment. |
The spinal cord entry is narrower than the other two. It needs both the damage and an objective sign of intractable spasticity. Whether someone with ALS also fits it is a medical question for the physician. You need only one entry.
The list also includes being terminally ill, defined as a prognosis of about one year or less if the illness runs its normal course. Our terminal illness article covers that entry for families who need it.
Records the physician will want
The certifying physician must be an MD or DO fully licensed in West Virginia and registered with the Office of Medical Cannabis. Often that is not the neurologist who made the diagnosis. Bring the neurologist's diagnosis, recent clinic notes and a current medication list, plus any genetic test results that were part of a Huntington's diagnosis.
The law requires your condition to be diagnosed as part of your continuing care, and you must be under the certifying physician's continuing care. Good records show both.
If travel is hard, OMC lists telemedicine companies with registered physicians and says visits can be online. The statute still describes continuing care as including an in-person consultation, so ask the provider how they handle that. Read about online evaluations in WV before you book.
Rather not drive to an appointment?
Online evaluations are available for West Virginia residents. Before you pay, ask how the physicians handle the in-person part of continuing care that the state law mentions. Code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off.
Book my evaluation →Set up caregivers before you need them
Both diseases tend to progress, and the person driving to the dispensary this year may not be the patient next year. A patient can name up to two caregivers, and one caregiver can serve no more than five patients.
The Caregiver Designation form must be signed by the patient and notarized. With an illness that affects movement or thinking, that signature is easier to arrange early, on a good day, than in a hurry later. Caregivers also need proof of West Virginia residency, a photo ID, a photo and a fingerprint background check through IdentoGO, and the $50 fee can be waived for hardship. The caregiver guide goes through each item.
If the patient is under 18, a caregiver is required, and it must be a parent or legal guardian.
Forms when hands or swallowing change
West Virginia allows pills, oils, tinctures, liquids, topicals such as gels, creams and ointments, dermal patches, and forms for vaporization or nebulization, including flower. Smoking is prohibited, and dispensaries do not sell edibles.
Patches and topicals need neither a steady hand nor swallowing. A caregiver can measure liquids and tinctures. If swallowing has become difficult, tell the certifying physician and the rest of your care team before choosing anything taken by mouth. The law lets patients and caregivers make their own edibles to aid ingestion, and our edibles article explains how far that rule goes.
What research can and cannot say
Research on cannabis for ALS and for Huntington's disease is limited. Some studies have looked at symptoms that can come with these illnesses, such as spasticity, pain, sleep or appetite, and the results are mixed. Medical cannabis is not a treatment for either disease. Report any change you notice to your neurologist instead of adjusting other medicines on your own.
Safety at home
Cannabis can cause drowsiness and dizziness. When an illness already affects balance or movement, that adds risk. Try any new product at home, seated, with someone nearby. Tell your neurologist, because other medicines you take may also cause drowsiness.
Do not drive after using medical cannabis. OMC says patients are not exempt from state or federal impaired-driving laws.
Where to begin
Ask your neurologist's office for records, decide who your caregivers will be, and book a registered physician. The full qualifying list shows all 15 entries, and the application guide walks through the portal. The card lasts one year and each renewal needs a new certification, so set a reminder the day your card arrives.
Questions people ask
Is ALS a qualifying condition in West Virginia?
Yes. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is on the list by name. A physician registered with OMC must certify you, and the diagnosis must be part of your continuing care.
Is Huntington's disease on the WV list?
Yes. Huntington's disease is listed by name as one of the 15 serious medical conditions in the Medical Cannabis Act.
Who can pick up products if the patient cannot travel?
A registered caregiver. A patient may name up to two. Each needs proof of West Virginia residency, a notarized designation form signed by the patient, a fingerprint background check and a $50 fee that can be waived for hardship.
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Sources
This page explains West Virginia rules in plain language and is not medical or legal advice; the Office of Medical Cannabis and your certifying physician have the final word.