Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner again rejected adding new eight new medical conditions to the medical cannabis pilot program Friday, including chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The announcement from the Department of Public Health refused recommendations made by the state’s expert advisory panel largely appointed by Rauner’s predecessor, Pat Quinn, according to the Belleville News-Democrat.
The conditions suggested by the Medical Cannabis Advisory Panel included PTSD; autism; irritable bowel syndrome; osteoarthritis; chronic pain; and chronic pain due to trauma, post-operative pain and intractable pain. The Board suggested adding the conditions last October.
Rauner has rejected some suggested conditions repeatedly, including PTSD, which we reported on last year. He’s also fought decriminalization of cannabis, issuing an amendatory veto of House Bill 218, asking for a smaller cap on civil possession limits and an increase in civil possession fines.
The rejection comes while the Illinois medical cannabis program is seeing fewer registered patients, putting pressure on struggling marijuana businesses. The expanded list could provide more patients for the program overall. According to the Department of Public Health’s 2015 annual report, as of June 30, approximately 3,300 people statewide had completed the online patient registration and submitted payment. Groups like the Cannabis Patient Advocacy Group have campaigned to add more conditions to the list, including through a social media campaign aimed at showing patients like veterans who would benefit.
There are still 39 medical conditions listed in the current program according to the Department of Public Health, including cancer, glaucoma, HIV and others, available with a doctor’s signature.
