For the last several years, Utah’s medical cannabis program relied on Qualified Medical Providers (QMPs) and Limited Medical Providers (LMPs) to recommend medical cannabis to qualifying patients. That is no longer the case. Over the summer, a new law kicked in. It replaces the QMP and LMP with the Recommending Medical Provider (RMP).
As a patient, the change shouldn’t have much of an impact on you. But time will tell. The change is intended to further streamline medical cannabis recommendations with the goal of improving access to patients.
The History of Utah’s Medical Providers
When the Beehive State first implemented its medical cannabis program, the QMP was the only medical professional with the ability to recommend medical cannabis. Becoming a QMP meant registering with the state after completing four hours of continuing education related to medical cannabis. Medical providers also had to pay a licensing fee.
Registration requirements were put in place to prevent card mills from popping up across the state. Mission accomplished. So after a couple of years and the realization that there simply were not enough QMPs to meet demand, lawmakers introduced the LMP program.
Medical providers could act as LMPs with no continuing education or state registration. But where QMPs could recommend medical cannabis to over six hundred patients at a time, LMPs were limited to just fifteen. The two types of providers seemed to work well from the patients’ standpoint but led to administrative challenges at the state level.
The New RMP Arrangement
State lawmakers came up with the RMP arrangement as a way to combine the QMP and LMP for a ‘best of both worlds’ compromise. So here’s how it works:
- Eligible Providers – The RMP program is open to state-licensed doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and podiatrists with prescribing authority in Utah.
- Continuing Education – The continuing education requirement is still intact. RMPs must undergo four hours of continuing education every two years in order to stay abreast of medical cannabis.
- Registration – Those RMPs wishing to register with the state can do so through the electronic verification system (EVS). Registration is not mandatory. More on that in a minute.
- Registration Fees – The previous licensing fees assessed against QMPs have been waived. RMPs no longer pay a fee to register with the state.
- Patient Limits – RMPs are limited in the number of medical cannabis recommendations they can make. That number is equal to 1.5% of the total number of cardholders in the state.
At 1.5%, RMPs can currently recommend to just under 1,500 patients. The number is revised every January based on cardholder numbers. As for registration, RMPs choosing not to register must complete a paper form certifying both their role as an RMP and a patient’s eligibility for medical cannabis. That form is submitted to the patient’s pharmacy.
Few Impacts on Patients
This particular portion of the 2025 medical cannabis legislation should have few impacts on patients. As a patient yourself, you will probably continue working with the same medical provider you have always worked with.
In the event your GP or family doctor acted as your LMP and decides not to continue as an RMP, you will need to find a new medical provider before you renew. The state maintains an active list of all RMPs on its medical cannabis website.
As always, Beehive Farmacy will continue to be here as your preferred medical cannabis pharmacy in Salt Lake City and Brigham City. Our Pharmacy Medical Provider (PMP) and staff are always here to help you along the medical cannabis journey.
