Illinois DPH Appeals Adding Chronic Pain as Medical Marijuana Qualifier

A Cook County judge ordered the Illinois Department of Health (DOH) to add intractable pain to the list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions. The Department of Health has filed an appeal to that ruling. The judge’s ruling came after a civilian filed a lawsuit indicating that petitions to the DOH to add the condition were unsuccessful.

The reason for denial of her petition from the Public Health Director Nirav Shah cited “lack of high-quality data,” according to Herald & Review. The Cook County Circuit Judge, Raymond Mitchell, ruled that Shah’s reasoning was, “clearly erroneous,” indicating that respected medical journals have at least 45 clinical studies regarding the effectiveness of medical marijuana for chronic pain.

Ann Mednick said, “Opioids have wreaked havoc on my life and I want nothing to do with them. Cannabis can ease pain without any of those side effects.”

The Department of Health has declined to comment given that the litigation is pending.