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Autism Spectrum Disorder and cannabis in Louisiana

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
Physician-recommendatio…
POSSESSION
$0/yr
STATE FEE
1–7 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.

Louisiana statute and program

The Louisiana Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Program is the operating authority for Louisiana patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: La. R.S. 40:1046: Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Act (HB 149 of 2015).

What the evidence says about cannabis and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests, and sensory processing. Symptom severity ranges widely, from individuals requiring substantial daily support to those who live independently with minimal accommodation.

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

How to qualify in Louisiana

The Louisiana Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Program requires the following registration steps for a Autism Spectrum Disorder patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. See a Louisiana-licensed physician. Since Act 491 (2020), any Louisiana-licensed physician in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners may recommend medical cannabis under La. R.S. 40:1046 — no special "marijuana physician" registration is required. The physician recommends therapeutic cannabis for any condition the physician in their medical judgment considers debilitating (broad practitioner-discretion model).
  2. Receive the physician’s written recommendation. Unlike most states, Louisiana does not maintain a separate patient registry or issue a state ID card. The Louisiana program is administered through the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and operates as a recommendation-based system: the physician’s signed recommendation IS the patient documentation. The recommendation is valid for one year from the date issued.
  3. No state patient registration fee. Louisiana does not charge a state patient registration fee, because there is no patient registry. The patient pays only the physician recommendation fee (typically $100–$250 for the initial evaluation) plus product costs at the dispensary. Caregivers are designated through the dispensary at point of sale.
  4. Purchase from one of nine Louisiana therapeutic marijuana pharmacies. With the physician’s written recommendation and a Louisiana driver license or state ID, patients may purchase from any of the nine licensed Louisiana therapeutic marijuana pharmacies (one per Department of Health region). Permitted forms include flower (legalized 2022), tinctures, oils, edibles, capsules, topicals, and metered-dose inhalers. Louisiana does not honor out-of-state medical cards.
State registration fee
$0
Physician visit (typical)
$100–$250
Certification to card
1–7 days
Out-of-state patients
Not eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

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

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Autism Spectrum Disorder for the Louisiana medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 F84.0 or SNOMED-CT 408856003 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 Louisiana list Autism Spectrum Disorder as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

Yes. Louisiana explicitly lists Autism Spectrum Disorder as a qualifying condition under Louisiana Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Program. A patient with a documented Autism Spectrum Disorder 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 Louisiana rules.

How do I get a Louisiana medical marijuana card for Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Step one is finding a physician licensed in Louisiana who is registered with Louisiana Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Program and willing to evaluate Autism Spectrum Disorder 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. Louisiana 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 Autism Spectrum Disorder?

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

Sources

  1. La. R.S. 40:1046: Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Act (HB 149 of 2015)accessed May 16, 2026
  2. Louisiana Board of Pharmacy: Therapeutic Marijuanaaccessed May 16, 2026
  3. La. R.S. 40:966 — Penalty schedule for marijuana possessionaccessed May 17, 2026
  4. La. R.S. 40:1046 — Therapeutic Use of Marijuana Actaccessed May 17, 2026
  5. Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry: Industrial Hemp Programaccessed May 17, 2026
  6. Louisiana State Legislature bill trackeraccessed May 17, 2026
  7. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Louisianaaccessed May 16, 2026
  8. CDC: Autism Spectrum Disorderaccessed May 15, 2026
  9. NIH NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoidsaccessed May 15, 2026