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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and cannabis in Virginia

The state does not list this condition by name, but its statute or regulator permits a certifying physician to add conditions case-by-case. Patients should expect to bring full diagnostic records to the certification visit.

Physician-discretion program
✗ No
LEGAL
Up to 90-day supply as …
POSSESSION
$0/yr
STATE FEE
1–7 d
TIMELINE
Physician-discretion program. The state does not list this condition by name, but its statute or regulator permits a certifying physician to add conditions case-by-case. Patients should expect to bring full diagnostic records to the certification visit.

Virginia statute and program

The Virginia Cannabis Pharmacy Program is the operating authority for Virginia patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Va. Code § 18.2-250.1 / § 4.1-600 et seq.: Cannabis Control Act.

What the evidence says about cannabis and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed in response to obsessions, aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing a feared outcome. The behaviors are not realistically connected to what they aim to prevent or are clearly excessive.

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

How to qualify in Virginia

The Virginia Cannabis Pharmacy Program requires the following registration steps for a Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. See a Virginia-registered practitioner. Under Va. Code §54.1-3408.3, any Virginia-licensed MD, DO, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner registered with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy / Cannabis Control Authority may issue a written certification for medical cannabis. Virginia operates a broad practitioner-discretion model — any condition or symptom the practitioner determines may benefit from cannabis is eligible. No enumerated qualifying-condition list applies.
  2. Receive the written certification (no separate patient registration since 2022). Since 2022 reforms (Va. Acts of Assembly Ch. 740), Virginia no longer requires patients to register separately with the Board of Pharmacy or obtain a state-issued patient ID card. The practitioner-issued written certification combined with a valid government-issued ID is sufficient documentation at Virginia pharmaceutical processors.
  3. No state patient registration fee since 2022. Virginia eliminated the patient registry and the associated $50 registration fee in 2022. Patients pay only the practitioner certification fee plus product costs at a Virginia pharmaceutical processor. Caregivers (for minor or incapacitated patients) are designated through the certifying practitioner without a separate state fee.
  4. Purchase from a Virginia pharmaceutical processor. With the written certification and a Virginia driver license or other valid government-issued ID, patients may purchase medical cannabis products from any of the licensed Virginia pharmaceutical processors. Virginia does not honor out-of-state medical cards for in-state purchase. Adult-use possession of up to 1 ounce is also legal in Virginia for adults 21+, but no licensed adult-use retail framework has been enacted as of the program’s current rules.
State registration fee
$0
Physician visit (typical)
$150–$300
Certification to card
1–7 days
Out-of-state patients
Not eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

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

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for the Virginia medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 F42.9 or SNOMED-CT 191736004 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 Virginia list Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

Not by name, but Virginia permits physician discretion. Under Virginia Cannabis Pharmacy Program, a certifying physician can add a condition like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder on a case-by-case basis when the physician judges that the patient would benefit from medical cannabis. This is different from a state where the qualifying-condition list is fixed in statute. Whether a particular physician will certify Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder depends on the physician's training, the strength of the patient's documentation, and the practitioner's reading of the available evidence — evidence is described as insufficient (no high-quality controlled data is available either for or against). Patients should expect to bring full diagnostic records to the certification visit.

How do I get a Virginia medical marijuana card for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Step one is finding a physician licensed in Virginia who is registered with Virginia Cannabis Pharmacy Program and willing to evaluate Obsessive-Compulsive 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. Virginia 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 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

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

Sources

  1. Va. Code § 18.2-250.1 / § 4.1-600 et seq.: Cannabis Control Actaccessed May 15, 2026
  2. Virginia Cannabis Control Authorityaccessed May 15, 2026
  3. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Virginiaaccessed May 15, 2026
  4. Va. Code § 4.1-1100: Personal use of marijuana; possession and home cultivationaccessed May 18, 2026
  5. Virginia Board of Pharmacy: Pharmaceutical Processors / Cannabis Pharmaciesaccessed May 18, 2026
  6. Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS) bill trackeraccessed May 18, 2026
  7. NORML: Virginia Laws & Penaltiesaccessed May 18, 2026
  8. Marijuana Policy Project: Virginiaaccessed May 18, 2026
  9. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2017): The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoidsaccessed May 18, 2026
  10. NIH National Institute of Mental Health: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorderaccessed May 18, 2026
  11. International OCD Foundation: About OCDaccessed May 18, 2026
  12. American Psychiatric Association: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of OCDaccessed May 18, 2026
  13. MedlinePlus: Obsessive-compulsive disorderaccessed May 18, 2026