Hospice and Palliative Care for Medical Marijuana

How Medical Marijuana Can Support Patients Receiving Hospice or Palliative Care

For Louisiana patients facing serious or terminal illnesses, hospice and palliative care services offer comfort, dignity, and symptom relief during a challenging time. These programs focus on improving quality of life rather than curing the underlying disease.

Louisiana law recognizes the unique needs of hospice and palliative care patients by including them as a qualifying group for medical marijuana treatment. If you or a loved one is receiving hospice or palliative care, medical marijuana may help manage pain, reduce distressing symptoms, and improve day-to-day comfort.

 

Understanding Hospice and Palliative Care

Hospice and palliative care are specialized medical services for people living with serious illnesses:

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• Hospice care is intended for patients with a prognosis of six months or less, when the focus has shifted away from curative treatments toward comfort and support at the end of life.

• Palliative care is available at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside other treatments aimed at managing or curing the condition.

 

Both approaches take a holistic view, addressing the medical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of the patient and their family.

 

How Medical Marijuana May Help

Medical marijuana has been shown to alleviate several symptoms common among hospice and palliative care patients, including:

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• Chronic and severe pain

• Nausea and vomiting

• Loss of appetite and weight loss

• Anxiety and agitation

• Difficulty sleeping

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For some patients, medical marijuana can also help reduce reliance on high-dose opioids while maintaining effective pain control.

 

Qualifying for Medical Marijuana in Hospice or Palliative Care

Under Louisiana law, patients currently receiving hospice or palliative care services are automatically eligible for medical marijuana. This qualifying condition was established to ensure that patients in these programs have access to all possible means of symptom relief and comfort.

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If you or a loved one are currently enrolled in a hospice or palliative care program, you can make an appointment with a certified Louisiana medical marijuana physician to receive a recommendation - that's where we come in!