By KYLE POTTER
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Patients hoping to access medical marijuana may struggle to register for the medicine as doctors and hospitals shy away from the new program.

Registration opens Monday and patients are expected to start getting the medicine in July. The law passed last year requires a physician to certify a patient has one of nine qualifying conditions.

St. Paul resident Sarah Wellington says her neurologist was on board to try medical marijuana for her multiple sclerosis. But her clinic told her last week they won’t sign off for now.

Dr. Dave Thorson of the Minnesota Medical Association says many doctors and hospital systems are unsure about medical marijuana’s effects and nervous about violating federal law. He says some facilities may wait to gauge the program’s rollout before giving their patients the OK.