The law sets the list
West Virginia's Medical Cannabis Act defines a "serious medical condition" as one of 15 specific diagnoses. If yours is one of them, and it has been diagnosed as part of your continuing care, you can ask a registered physician to certify you. If it is not, no physician can certify you for it, however much it affects your life.
The Office of Medical Cannabis publishes the same list in its FAQ. It matches the statute as reprinted in 2019 and again in a 2026 bill.
Each condition in plain English
The legal wording can be stiff. Here is what each line says, in everyday terms. This is a reading aid, not a diagnosis. Your physician applies the actual wording to your records.
| Condition in the law | What it says in plain terms |
|---|---|
| Cancer | Listed with no qualifiers. Any cancer diagnosis is covered by the wording. |
| Positive status for HIV or AIDS | A positive HIV test or an AIDS diagnosis. The law's wording is "positive status." |
| Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease. |
| Parkinson's disease | A diagnosed case of Parkinson's disease. |
| Multiple sclerosis | A diagnosed case of MS. |
| Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity | A spinal cord injury or disease where an exam or test shows muscle stiffness or spasms that have not let up with treatment. |
| Epilepsy | A diagnosed seizure disorder called epilepsy. |
| Intractable seizures | A separate line for seizures that have not been controlled by treatment, whatever the cause. |
| Neuropathies | Nerve damage or nerve disease. The law uses the plural and does not limit it to one type. |
| Huntington's disease | The inherited brain disorder, not the city. |
| Crohn's disease | Crohn's by name. Other bowel conditions are not listed. |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | PTSD, diagnosed as part of continuing care by a medical doctor, licensed counselor or psychologist. |
| Sickle cell anemia | The disease itself, as diagnosed by a physician. |
| Severe chronic or intractable pain | Pain that is severe and long-lasting, or that has not responded to treatment. Pain of neuropathic (nerve) origin is named too. |
| Terminally ill | A medical prognosis of about one year or less to live if the illness runs its normal course. |
Pain is the most common
Severe chronic or intractable pain is the condition most patients in West Virginia hold their card for. OMC's 2025 biennial report counted 21,910 active patients with it, out of 35,394 active patients in October 2025. That does not make pain easier to qualify with. It just means you are in good company if that is your reason.
PTSD has an extra rule
For post-traumatic stress disorder, the law says the diagnosis must be made as part of continuing care by a medical doctor, a licensed counselor or a psychologist. That is broader than who can certify you. A counselor can diagnose PTSD, but only a registered MD or DO can sign the cannabis certification.
Who decides
An MD or DO who is fully licensed in West Virginia and registered with the Office of Medical Cannabis makes the call. You must be under that physician's continuing care, and your condition must be diagnosed as part of it. Bring your records: past diagnoses, specialist notes, imaging, a list of treatments you have tried. A thin file makes the visit harder for everyone.
If your condition is not listed
Anxiety, insomnia, migraines and many other conditions people ask about are not on the West Virginia list. A 2026 bill, HB 5092, would have let physicians certify for other conditions at their discretion. It died in a House committee.
There is still a formal route. OMC accepts an application to add a medical condition. There is no promise of a result, but it is how the list can change outside the Legislature.
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 →If your condition is on the list, your next move is a visit with a registered physician. Gather your records first, and ask the office how they handle continuing care before you book.
Questions people ask
Is anxiety a qualifying condition in West Virginia?
No. Anxiety is not on the list. Post-traumatic stress disorder is, and it must be diagnosed as part of continuing care by a medical doctor, licensed counselor or psychologist.
Can my doctor certify me for a condition that is not on the list?
No. Certification has to be for one of the 15 serious medical conditions in the law. A 2026 bill, HB 5092, would have let physicians use their own judgment, but it died in committee.
Is chronic pain enough on its own?
The law lists severe chronic or intractable pain, including pain of neuropathic origin. Ordinary or occasional pain is not what the wording describes. The registered physician decides whether yours fits.
Has the list changed recently?
No. OMC's list matches the statute as reprinted in 2019 and in a 2026 bill. No conditions have been added since at least 2019.
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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.