Marijuana Legalization 2015 News: 11 New Conditions Eligible Include PTSD, Anorexia, Migraine & Osteoarthritis

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The Illinois Medical Cannabis Board recommended 11 health conditions to be included in the state's medical marijuana program. According to Associated Press, the board rejected three conditions including anxiety and diabetes for various reasons.

The 11 conditions recommended by the board are the following:

1.       Anorexia Nervosa

2.       Migraine

3.       Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

4.       Osteoarthritis

5.       Chronic Post-Operative Pain

6.       Irritable Bowel Syndrome

7.       Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

8.       Neuro-Behcet's Autoimmune Disease

9.       Neuropathy (Peripheral and Diabetic)

10.   Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome

11.   Polycystic kidney disease

According to Miami Herald, diabetes was rejected because marijuana would increase the appetite of patients who need to watch what they're eating. Anxiety as a condition was considered to be too broad and the petitioners were asked to narrow it down. AP reports that in July, the board will be accepting more petitions for conditions and diseases.

"While this is a major milestone, this does not mean the thousands of suffering patients in Illinois will have access to this life-changing treatment," Sanford Stein from the Cannabis Association of Illinois said via Progress Illinois.

He added, "We are calling on the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor (Bruce) Rauner to approve the board's recommendations so patients suffering from conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, migraine headaches, chronic post-operative pain and other serious conditions can finally have access to medicine that is safe and in many cases more effective than prescription drugs."

With the addition of these conditions for the eligibility for medical marijuana, millions of patients are expected to be covered by the program. Patients who are planning to apply for the use medical marijuana must acquire a doctor's signature for certification and the Illinois law listed conditions, such as cancer, glaucoma, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and glaucoma, as qualification to receive the cannabis treatment. Those who are already approved will pay $100 for a marijuana card and their doctor's signed certification every year. There were over 2,000 people approved by the state.

According to Jim Champion, a military vet and board member, he is "very, very proud" for the decision to include PTSD among the recommendations. However, the US Department of Veterans Affairs stated through their website that "no evidence at this time that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. In fact, research suggests that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD."

A trial for marijuana for PTSD will be starting this summer. Dr. Sue Sisley, a co-investigator of the study, and her colleagues will be conducting a controlled trial of smoke marijuana in more than 70 recruited veterans. According to CBS St. Louis, it is currently approved by the FDA and given grant by the Colorado Board of Health but is currently awaiting DEA's approval.