The New Mexico Department of Health on Tuesday added insomnia to the state’s medical cannabis program. Patients with insomnia will be allowed to enroll in the program beginning June 1.
In his written decision approving the Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) Advisory Board’s petition, Department of Health Secretary Patrick M. Allen said “From a health equity perspective, medical cannabis can offer a legal alternative to the expensive medications sometimes utilized by those suffering with insomnia.”
“Even though patients may access cannabis without a medical cannabis card through the adult use program, by including insomnia in the list of qualifying conditions, patients would have increased opportunity to discuss with their medical provider how cannabis can be used to impact their insomnia and help them sleep better.” — Allen, in the decision, via a press release
Insomnia is the 30th condition approved for the state’s medical cannabis program. In December 2022, the state added anxiety to its qualifying condition for medical cannabis.
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in three adults have insomnia symptoms worldwide and about 10% are diagnosed with insomnia.
A 2016 study published by the National Library of Medicine concluded that “The consequences of insomnia are significant, such as depression, impaired work performance, work-related/motor vehicle accidents, and overall poor quality of life.”
“It is an easy-to-diagnose condition with many self-answerable questionnaires for aid,” the study authors wrote, “yet goes unrecognized in a significant number of patients coming to the outpatient department with other comorbid conditions.”
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