The Minnesota Department of Health is adding two new qualifying conditions for participation in the medical cannabis program: sickle cell disease and vocal or motor tick disorders. Director of the State Office of Medical Cannabis Chris Tholkes says “people who are certified for the conditions can begin to enroll in the program July 1st of 2021 and then they can begin to receive their medical cannabis from one of the state’s two manufacturers starting August 1st of the same year, 2021.” Tholkes says anxiety was also under consideration to be approved this year, but will require more research. The growing list of qualifying conditions for the program includes intractable pain, HIV/AIDS and autism spectrum disorders. Tholkes says around 20,000 Minnesotans are enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program.