As with most medical cannabis programs, Utah’s initial run has had its speed bumps along the way. One of those bumps was recently torn out and paved over, smoothing the path to relief for many patients. The bump in question was the relatively small number of medical providers across the state able to recommend medical cannabis to patients. The change came due to the newly formed “LMP” designation as part of a law passed by the State Legislature this session. This was a direct response to patient outcry for easier access to a physician able to prescribe cannabis.
So, what is an LMP? How is it different from a QMP? Will we ever have enough acronyms?.. Read more to find out.
The LMP is of the same variety as the QMP though in further abundance. LMP stands for Limited Medical Provider; while QMP stands for Qualified Medical Provider. There are currently around 810 QMPs in the state, while there are an estimated 16,000 individuals who now qualify as an LMP. The difference between the two being the amount of medical cannabis training required by the state and the number of medical cannabis cards the medical provider is able to issue to their various patient populations. The new LMP designation allows medical providers (physicians, nurse practitioners and others) to recommend up to 15 medical cannabis patients each.
There are of course many questions surrounding this change. Will more patients switch from a QMP to LMP as their card expires and needs renewing? Will there be an influx of new patients who are more willing to ask their personal physician/medical provider about a cannabis recommendation? And what sort of cost savings will the patient actually see through this measure? Some of these questions are revealing answers already; others we’ll have to wait for.
By allowing more medical providers across the state to recommend medical cannabis, the idea is hoping to cut down on the costs for patients who previously may have gone to a QMP but paid a higher fee due to the limited number of QMPs that were available. It is also expected a recommendation from an LMP could take place during a routine visit and would incur minimal additional time and monetary costs. A quick pit stop on the road to relief. With some paying hundreds of dollars for their medical card recommendations prior and making long drives to the nearest metro area for a QMP, this is a welcome change.
The overall process for receiving a medical cannabis recommendation from an LMP is basically the same as the prior QMP route. A patient meets with the provider and assuming they have a qualifying condition the provider will recommend the medical cannabis card. The application that the provider completes is simple, being one full page in length and asking fairly routine questions. Once the application is complete and submitted the patent must wait for card approval which can take a few days. When the recommendation is approved by the state, well, it’s off to the races.
– this article was featured in our Utah Cann event guide found in our Spring 2022 magazine.
