Illinois Looking at Fifteen new Conditions to Qualify for Medical Marijuana

A doctor who runs the Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board announced that she does not expect the chances of expanding the state’s cannabis program to be very high. This assessment is based on old decisions that Governor Rauner’s administration has made. Board chair Dr. Leslie Mendoza Temple states that the group is progressing and look at the fifteen health conditions on its to-do list. The advisory board will be meeting on Monday in Springfield.

The meeting might lead to even more conditions to look at if an expert panel suggests them. However, two times now Rauner’s administration has twice before turned down the board’s recommendations. Here is a look at some of the new conditions that are going to be reviewed: Monday by the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board are Lyme disease, panic disorders, persistent depressive disorder, and MRSA, a drug-resistant staph infection.

Proponents want the medical marijuana program widened to include chronic pain conditions that do not respond to normal treatments since they believe the benefits are greater than the potential dangers. However, Rauner has called for conservative steps in expanding access to cannabis. At the moment, thirty-nine conditions and diseases are capable of allowing someone to use medical cannabis in Illinois. Illinois’s medical cannabis law allows people to recommend new conditions for the program two times per year. The board, which is composed of doctors, nurses, patients and proponents, can only advise.

In addition, Rauner has not approved of a ton of old recommendations to expand access, including an effort by veterans to use medical marijuana to treat their post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical cannabis advocates having been asking Governor Rauner to expand the program. Rayner also used his veto powers to take out legislation that would have expanded the marijuana testing program another four years.