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Glaucoma and cannabis in Delaware

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 3 oz over any 14-…
POSSESSION
$125/yr
STATE FEE
30–45 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.

Delaware statute and program

The Delaware Medical Marijuana Program is the operating authority for Delaware patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Delaware Code Title 16 Chapter 49A: Delaware Medical Marijuana Act. The program portal is at Delaware Medical Marijuana Program.

What the evidence says about cannabis and Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve. The most common form, primary open-angle glaucoma, is typically associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), though some patients develop optic-nerve damage at normal IOP. Untreated, glaucoma causes irreversible vision loss. Standard treatment lowers IOP via topical eye drops, laser procedures, or surgery.

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

How to qualify in Delaware

The Delaware Medical Marijuana Program requires the following registration steps for a Glaucoma patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. Get certified by a Delaware-licensed physician or APRN. A Delaware-licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant must complete a Physician Certification Form documenting the qualifying condition. The practitioner must have a bona-fide patient relationship and Delaware controlled-substance registration. Telemedicine certification is permitted under Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) rules.
  2. Submit the patient application to the Office of Medical Marijuana. The patient submits the completed Physician Certification Form, the patient application, a copy of a Delaware driver license or state ID, and a passport-style photo to the Office of Medical Marijuana within Delaware Health and Social Services. Applications may be submitted by mail or through the DPH electronic submission portal.
  3. Pay the $125 state registration fee. The annual fee is $125 for adult patients ($25 for patients on Medicaid or SSDI). Caregivers are added for an additional fee and must pass a state and federal background check. Payment is made by check or money order to "Office of Medical Marijuana."
  4. Receive your Delaware Medical Marijuana ID card. Cards are mailed within roughly 30–45 days of complete application receipt. Delaware does honor out-of-state medical cards from participating states for purchase at Delaware compassion centers (reciprocity provision under Title 16 Chapter 49A). Renewal is annual and requires fresh physician recertification.
State registration fee
$125
Physician visit (typical)
$150–$250
Certification to card
30–45 days
Out-of-state patients
Eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

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

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Glaucoma for the Delaware medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 H40.9 or SNOMED-CT 23986001 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 Delaware list Glaucoma as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

Yes. Delaware explicitly lists Glaucoma as a qualifying condition under Delaware Medical Marijuana Program. A patient with a documented Glaucoma diagnosis can pursue state-program certification with a physician registered in the state. The qualifying-condition list is published by the state at https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/medmarhome.html and may change as regulators add, remove, or refine entries. 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 Delaware rules.

How do I get a Delaware medical marijuana card for Glaucoma?

Step one is finding a physician licensed in Delaware who is registered with Delaware Medical Marijuana Program and willing to evaluate Glaucoma 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. Delaware 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. The authoritative source for the current process is the Delaware Medical Marijuana Program site at https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/medmarhome.html; the state updates fees, forms, and physician registration rules periodically.

What does the evidence say about cannabis for Glaucoma?

For Glaucoma, evidence is described as insufficient (no high-quality controlled data is available either for or against). The mmjnow condition page for Glaucoma 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 Glaucoma should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Glaucoma and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Glaucoma; the evidence position above describes whether trial data supports its use, not whether it should replace standard care.

Sources

  1. Delaware Code Title 16 Chapter 49A: Delaware Medical Marijuana Actaccessed May 16, 2026
  2. Delaware Code Title 4 Chapter 13: Delaware Marijuana Control Actaccessed May 16, 2026
  3. Delaware Office of the Marijuana Commissioneraccessed May 16, 2026
  4. Delaware Division of Public Health: Medical Marijuana Programaccessed May 16, 2026
  5. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Delawareaccessed May 16, 2026
  6. American Academy of Ophthalmology: Marijuana in the Treatment of Glaucomaaccessed May 15, 2026
  7. NIH NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoidsaccessed May 15, 2026