In the United States, currently 29 states and the District of Columbia have enacted
laws that allow for the medical use of cannabis. The list of conditions that qualify
a patient for the use of medical cannabis varies from state to state. Recently, the
medical cannabis citizens' review panel at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
added obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to the list of qualifying conditions for medical
cannabis, making Minnesota the first state to approve the use of cannabis for OSA.
This decision followed a petition that rightly identified OSA as a public health concern
associated with sleepiness and substantial cardiovascular consequences.
1
The petition referenced continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as the primary
treatment option for OSA and proceeded to list alternative therapeutic modalities
including medications, acupuncture, upper airway stimulation, and surgeries. The “brief
of support” issued by the MDH in November 2017 allows patients certified as having
OSA to enroll in the medical cannabis program from July 1, 2018, and obtain medical
cannabis beginning August 1, 2018.- Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program petition to add a medically qualifying condition.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/topics/cannabis/rulemaking/petitionOSA.pdf
Date accessed: March 20, 2018
Abbreviations and Acronyms:
AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine), AHI (apnea-hypopnea index), CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), MDH (Minnesota Department of Health), OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program petition to add a medically qualifying condition.http://www.health.state.mn.us/topics/cannabis/rulemaking/petitionOSA.pdfDate accessed: March 20, 2018
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- Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea Task Force of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Clinical guideline for the evaluation, management and long-term care of obstructive sleep apnea in adults.J Clin Sleep Med. 2009; 5: 263-276
Ramar K, Rosen IM, Kirsch DB, et al; American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of Directors. Medical cannabis and the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement [published online ahead of print March 30, 2018]. J Clin Sleep Med.
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Article info
Footnotes
Potential Competing Interests: Dr Mansukhani was the principal investigator (PI) on industry grant (ResMed Corp) 2016-2018 and the PI on benefactor-sponsored career development award at Mayo Clinic (2017-2019). She was also a speaker at the CME conference-ARCS sleep conference 2016. Dr Olson has board membership of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is author for 3 sections of UpToDate regarding obstructive sleep apnea and perioperative care. Dr St Louis received consultancy fees from Axovant consultancy; has grants/grants pending from the National Institutes of Health and the Michael J. Fox Foundation; and receives royalties from Wiley Blackwell for the book Epilepsy and the Interictal State: Co-Morbidities and Quality of Life. The rest of the authors report no competing interests.
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Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- Comment on Medical Cannabis for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Premature and Potentially HarmfulMayo Clinic ProceedingsVol. 93Issue 11
- PreviewWe recently read with interest “Medical cannabis for obstructive sleep apnea: premature and potentially harmful” by Kolla et al1 competently summarizing the current evidence for the recent approval of obstructive sleep apnea as a certifying condition for the use of medical cannabis in the state of Minnesota. We share the authors’ doubt to the scientific validity of this recent action. It would be helpful for the readers of Mayo Clinic Proceedings to know additional background relating to the evolving medical and legislative landscape of medical cannabis.
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