If a physician concludes that a patient whom he or she has certified for the palliative use of marijuana is in need of a caregiver, then the patient may identify one person to serve as their primary caregiver.  All primary caregivers must register with the Connecticut Medical Marijuana Program and must pass a criminal background check before they will be issued a registration certificate.

Q. Who determines whether a patient needs a primary caregiver?

A. A physician who certifies a patient for the palliative use of marijuana is also responsible for assessing whether the patient needs a primary caregiver.  The Department of Consumer Protection will not register a primary caregiver for a patient unless the need for the caregiver is documented by the patient's physician in his or her written certification to the Department.   

Q. Who can serve as a primary caregiver?

A. To be qualified as a patient’s primary caregiver, you must:

• Be 18 years old or older;
• Agree to undertake responsibility for managing the well-being of the qualifying patient with respect to the palliative use of marijuana;
• Have not been convicted of a violation of any law pertaining to the illegal manufacture, sale or distribution of a controlled substance; and
• Not be the qualifying patient’s physician.

In addition, if the qualifying patient lacks legal capacity, you must be the patient’s parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the patient.

Q. Who chooses the patient’s primary caregiver?

A. Once the physician certifies for the Department that a qualifying patient is in need of a primary caregiver, the patient can choose who will be their caregiver so long as the caregiver meets the standards discussed above.  In fact, no one will be permitted to apply for a primary caregiver registration until a qualifying patient has identified the person as their caregiver, thereby initiating the caregiver registration process. 

Q. Can a patient have more than one primary caregiver?

A. No, the Department will only register a single caregiver on behalf of a patient.

Q. Can I serve as a primary caregiver for more than one patient?

A. Ordinarily no; the only exception is if you have a parental, guardianship, conservatorship or sibling relationship with each qualifying patient for whom you are registering to be the primary caregiver.