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Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting and cannabis in Arkansas

The state explicitly lists this condition under its medical cannabis program. A certifying physician can pursue state registration for a patient with this diagnosis under the program rules.

Listed qualifying condition
✓ Yes
LEGAL
Up to 2.5 oz over any 1…
POSSESSION
$50/yr
STATE FEE
7–21 d
TIMELINE
Listed qualifying condition. The state explicitly lists this condition under its medical cannabis program. A certifying physician can pursue state registration for a patient with this diagnosis under the program rules.

Arkansas statute and program

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program is the operating authority for Arkansas patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Ark. Code Ann. §5-64-419: Possession of a controlled substance (marijuana penalty schedule).

What the evidence says about cannabis and Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Two oral synthetic cannabinoids (dronabinol and nabilone) are FDA-approved for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting that has not responded to conventional antiemetic therapy. The 2017 NASEM consensus report concluded that there is substantial evidence supporting their effectiveness in adults.

For the full evidence base, including the NASEM tier, randomized trial summaries, and symptom-domain breakdown, read the mmjnow Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting page.

How to qualify in Arkansas

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program requires the following registration steps for a Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. Get a written certification from an Arkansas-licensed physician. Any Arkansas-licensed MD or DO with an active DEA registration may issue a written certification under Arkansas Amendment 98 (Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016). No special physician registration is required. Qualifying conditions include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, ALS, Tourette’s, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, PTSD, severe arthritis, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain not addressed by other treatment, severe nausea, seizures, intractable pain, and others added by the Arkansas Department of Health.
  2. Submit your application to the Arkansas Department of Health. The patient mails or uploads the Patient Application Form, the Physician Written Certification, a copy of an Arkansas driver license or state ID, a passport-style photograph, and the registration fee to the Arkansas Department of Health Medical Marijuana Section. Online submission is available through the ADH portal.
  3. Pay the $50 state registration fee. The annual patient registration fee is $50 (one-year) or $100 (two-year). Caregivers register separately for an additional $50 each and undergo a state and federal background check.
  4. Receive the registry card and purchase from an Arkansas dispensary. Arkansas medical marijuana registry cards are typically issued within 14 days of complete application receipt. With the card, patients may purchase up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days from any of the licensed Arkansas dispensaries. Arkansas honors out-of-state medical cannabis cards from visiting patients for in-state purchase under Amendment 98 (90-day visiting-patient registration).
State registration fee
$50
Physician visit (typical)
$200–$300
Certification to card
7–21 days
Out-of-state patients
Eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

For full Arkansas registration steps, fees, and reciprocity rules, see the Arkansas cannabis-laws page.

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting for the Arkansas medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 R11.2 or SNOMED-CT 422587007 in the patient's record. The state registry does not itself collect ICD-10 codes in most programs, but the physician's chart is the audit trail if the certification is later reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Does Arkansas list Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

Yes. Arkansas explicitly lists Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting as a qualifying condition under Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program. A patient with a documented Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting diagnosis can pursue state-program certification with a physician registered in the state. The qualifying-condition list is set by state statute or regulation and may change. Inclusion on the list does not guarantee certification — a physician still has to evaluate the patient and decide that medical cannabis is appropriate for that specific case under Arkansas rules.

How do I get a Arkansas medical marijuana card for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting?

Step one is finding a physician licensed in Arkansas who is registered with Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program and willing to evaluate Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting cases. Step two is collecting your records (diagnosis documentation, treatment history, and the ICD-10 code your physician will use) and bringing them to the certification visit. Step three is the physician's certification through the state registry, followed by the patient registration application, state fee, and waiting period before the card is issued. Arkansas honors out-of-state medical cards under its reciprocity rules — uncommon, and worth verifying before relying on it. Verify the patient minimum age with the state program before applying. Confirm the current process with the state regulator before applying, because the rules change.

What does the evidence say about cannabis for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting?

For Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting, evidence is described as strong (e.g. multiple randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews supporting effect). The mmjnow condition page for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting lays out the current evidence base, including the citations underlying that evidence tier — typically the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus reports, federal agency guidance, and peer-reviewed reviews. Evidence quality is independent of state law: a state can list a condition for which evidence is limited, and a state can decline to list a condition for which evidence is strong. Patients deciding whether to pursue medical cannabis for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting; the evidence position above describes whether trial data supports its use, not whether it should replace standard care.

Sources

  1. Arkansas Constitution Amendment 98: Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016accessed May 16, 2026
  2. Arkansas Department of Health: Medical Marijuanaaccessed May 16, 2026
  3. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Arkansasaccessed May 16, 2026
  4. Ark. Code Ann. §5-64-419: Possession of a controlled substance (marijuana penalty schedule)accessed May 17, 2026
  5. Amendment 98 to the Arkansas Constitution: Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment (2016)accessed May 17, 2026
  6. Arkansas Department of Health: Medical Marijuana Programaccessed May 17, 2026
  7. Arkansas State Plant Board: Industrial Hemp Programaccessed May 17, 2026
  8. NASEM: The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (2017)accessed May 14, 2026

    “Conclusive or substantial evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective antiemetics in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.”

  9. NIH NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoidsaccessed May 14, 2026