The Inclusion of Cannabinoids and Medicinal Marijuana as a Treatment Option for Individuals With Disabilities in Life Care Plans

With the growth in popularity of marijuana as a legitimate form of treatment in the United States, the inclusion of it as a viable treatment option for individuals with a number of disabilities and chronic illnesses has become evident to life care planners. The utilization of marijuana and its related products, unlike other medical services and medication, is complicated by the conflicting ideals outlined in state and federal legislation as well as the variations among the laws in each individual state. The use of these products, coupled with having to navigate the guidelines governing their use, can create challenging situations through which care planners and their clients must transverse. To obtain information about how life care planners in the United States are incorporating these products in their current plans, interviews were conducted with four life care planners in states where marijuana is legal in some form. This article will explore how life care planners are addressing the needs of their clients by including marijuana in life care plans when appropriate; it will also include a basic overview of the pharmacological properties of marijuana and provide a brief summary of disorders commonly by treated by medicinal marijuana and included in state medicinal marijuana laws.