Skip to main content

Seizure Disorders and cannabis in Indiana

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
CBD products with ≤0.3%…
POSSESSION
$0/yr
STATE FEE
14–60 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.

Indiana statute and program

The Indiana CBD Authorization (Industrial Hemp / Low-THC) is the operating authority for Indiana patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Indiana Code 35-48-4-11: Possession of Marijuana.

What the evidence says about cannabis and Seizure Disorders

Seizure disorders comprise a broader category than epilepsy alone, encompassing conditions that produce seizures (episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain) including post-traumatic seizures, febrile seizures (in children), seizures associated with brain tumors or strokes, and the various epilepsy syndromes themselves.

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

How to qualify in Indiana

The Indiana CBD Authorization (Industrial Hemp / Low-THC) requires the following registration steps for a Seizure Disorders patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. Confirm a qualifying intractable epilepsy diagnosis. Indiana operates a narrow low-THC CBD authorization under IC 35-48-3-7.2 (the "Industrial Hemp / Low-THC CBD Act" enacted 2017). The authorization covers only treatment-resistant epilepsy. A patient or the patient’s caregiver registers with the Indiana State Department of Health after a physician confirms the diagnosis of intractable epilepsy.
  2. Register with the Indiana State Department of Health. The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) maintains a Therapeutic Hemp Extract registry. Patients submit a registration form and a copy of the physician’s diagnostic statement. There is no online portal; registration is handled by mail to ISDH.
  3. No state registration fee. Indiana does not charge a state registration fee under IC 35-48-3-7.2. The patient bears only the costs of the physician evaluation and the cost of CBD product obtained through legal channels.
  4. Possess low-THC CBD (≤0.3% THC) obtained through legal channels. Registered patients may possess CBD products containing not more than 0.3% THC by weight (the federal hemp threshold) for treatment of intractable epilepsy. Indiana does not authorize an in-state medical cannabis dispensary network, in-state cultivation, or higher-THC products. Indiana does not honor out-of-state medical cards. Adult-use cannabis remains illegal in Indiana.
State registration fee
$0
Physician visit (typical)
$150–$350
Certification to card
14–60 days
Out-of-state patients
Not eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

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

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Seizure Disorders for the Indiana medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 G40.909 or SNOMED-CT 91175000 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 Indiana list Seizure Disorders as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

Yes. Indiana explicitly lists Seizure Disorders as a qualifying condition under Indiana CBD Authorization (Industrial Hemp / Low-THC). A patient with a documented Seizure Disorders 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 Indiana rules.

How do I get a Indiana medical marijuana card for Seizure Disorders?

Step one is finding a physician licensed in Indiana who is registered with Indiana CBD Authorization (Industrial Hemp / Low-THC) and willing to evaluate Seizure Disorders 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. Indiana does not honor out-of-state cards, so the certification process has to originate inside the state. 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 Seizure Disorders?

For Seizure Disorders, evidence is described as strong (e.g. multiple randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews supporting effect). The mmjnow condition page for Seizure Disorders 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 Seizure Disorders should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Seizure Disorders and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Seizure Disorders; the evidence position above describes whether trial data supports its use, not whether it should replace standard care.

Sources

  1. Indiana Code 35-48-4-11: Possession of Marijuanaaccessed May 15, 2026
  2. NORML: Indiana Lawsaccessed May 15, 2026
  3. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Indianaaccessed May 15, 2026
  4. Indiana Code 35-48-4-11: Possession of marijuana (full text)accessed May 17, 2026
  5. Indiana State Department of Agriculture: Industrial Hemp Programaccessed May 17, 2026
  6. Indiana General Assembly bill trackeraccessed May 17, 2026
  7. Marion County (Indianapolis) Prosecutor — small-amount possession discretion policy (2019)accessed May 17, 2026
  8. NASEM: The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (2017)accessed May 15, 2026
  9. FDA: Epidiolex (cannabidiol) approval labelaccessed May 15, 2026
  10. NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Epilepsies and Seizuresaccessed May 15, 2026