On Monday, the Minnesota Department of Health added Alzheimer’s disease as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. Senator Jerry Relph (R-St. Cloud) issued the following statement:

“Today, the Department of Health announced the addition of Alzheimer’s disease as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. As a member of the Commission on Medical Cannabis, I am pleased to see the Department of Health has recognized the potential benefits of medical cannabis for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and included the disease on its list of qualifying conditions. Today’s announcement reflects a sensible and responsible approach to the use of medical cannabis that does not expose the public to the dangers of the unregulated use of cannabis products. As a member of the commission, I am committed to exploring and expanding the effective use of cannabis products to treat medical conditions, which currently includes cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, intractable pain, and many other debilitating conditions.”

Senator Jerry Relph, of St. Cloud, is in his first term representing District 14, which includes communities in Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties.