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Spinal Cord Injury and cannabis in Delaware

The state currently does not list this condition as qualifying, and the program does not provide open-ended physician discretion to add conditions. Verify with the state regulator, because programs change.

Not on the qualifying list
✗ No
LEGAL
Up to 3 oz over any 14-…
POSSESSION
$125/yr
STATE FEE
30–45 d
TIMELINE
Not on the qualifying list. The state currently does not list this condition as qualifying, and the program does not provide open-ended physician discretion to add conditions. Verify with the state regulator, because programs change.

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 Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results from damage to the spinal cord by trauma, disease, or congenital condition, producing temporary or permanent changes in motor, sensory, and autonomic function below the level of injury. Severity and functional impact depend on injury level and completeness. Common chronic complications include spasticity, neuropathic pain, autonomic dysreflexia, and bladder/bowel dysfunction.

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

How to qualify in Delaware

The Delaware Medical Marijuana Program requires the following registration steps for a Spinal Cord Injury 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 Spinal Cord Injury for the Delaware medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 T09.3XXA or SNOMED-CT 20662000 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 Spinal Cord Injury as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

No. Delaware's qualifying-condition list does not currently include Spinal Cord Injury, and the state's program does not give physicians open-ended discretion to add conditions outside the list. Patients with Spinal Cord Injury in Delaware have limited in-state pathways under the medical program as written. Options to verify and pursue include: petitioning the state regulator to add the condition (where the statute permits public petitions); consulting a physician about whether a co-occurring listed condition could support certification; or reviewing whether the state's program is undergoing legislative expansion. Delaware program rules change, so verify the current list with the regulator before drawing a final conclusion.

How do I get a Delaware medical marijuana card for Spinal Cord Injury?

Because Delaware does not currently list Spinal Cord Injury as a qualifying condition, a card for Spinal Cord Injury alone may not be obtainable in-state under the program rules as written. Step one is finding a physician licensed in Delaware who is registered with Delaware Medical Marijuana Program and willing to evaluate Spinal Cord Injury 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 Spinal Cord Injury?

For Spinal Cord Injury, evidence is described as moderate (supportive controlled studies exist but the picture is mixed). The mmjnow condition page for Spinal Cord Injury 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 Spinal Cord Injury should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Spinal Cord Injury and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Spinal Cord Injury; 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. NASEM: The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (2017)accessed May 15, 2026

    “Substantial evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective for improving patient-reported spasticity symptoms.”

  7. NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Spinal Cord Injuryaccessed May 15, 2026