Section 946.310  Health Care Professional Written Certification for the Medical Cannabis Program

a)         A certification confirming the patient's debilitating medical condition shall be written on a form provided by the Department or shall be submitted in electronic format and shall include, at minimum, the following:

1)         The qualifying patient's name, date of birth, home address and primary telephone number;

2)         The certifying health care professional's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, medical license number, indication of specialty or primary area of clinical practice, if any, and active controlled substances license under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act;

3)         The length of time the qualifying patient has been under the care of the certifying health care professional;

4)         The qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition;

5)         A statement that the certifying health care professional has confirmed a diagnosis of a debilitating medical condition; is treating or managing treatment of the patient's debilitating condition; has a bona-fide health care professional-patient relationship; has conducted an in-person physical examination has conducted a review of the patient's medical history, including reviewing medical records from other treating health care professionals, if any, from the previous 12 months;

6)         The certifying health care professional's signature and date of certification; and

7)         A statement that a participant in possession of a written certification indicating a debilitating medical condition shall not be considered an unlawful user or addicted to narcotics solely as a result of his or her pending application to or participation in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program. (Section 36 of the Act)

b)         The certifying health care professional written certification does not constitute a prescription for medical cannabis.

c)         Applications for qualifying patients under 18 years old shall require a written certification from a certifying health care professional and a reviewing health care professional.  A written certification from a reviewing health care professional is not required for persons under 18 years old who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

d)         It is unlawful for any person to knowingly submit a fraudulent certification to be a qualifying patient in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program or a qualifying Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant. A violation of this subsection shall result in the person who has knowingly submitted the fraudulent certification being permanently banned from participating in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program or the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. (Section 36 of the Act)

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 6205, effective April 27, 2021)