In July, Governor Bruce Rauner signed a measure extending the state’s medical marijuana pilot program from January 2018 to July 2020. But as a condition, Illinois' Public Health Director now has sole discretion over adding more qualifying conditions, leaving no power to a re-constituted panel of experts. Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin recently wrote on current efforts to add them, relying largely on court rulings tied to a series of lawsuits.

Illinois' medical marijuana pillot program has been extended from January 2018 to July 2020. The measure signed last week by Gov. Bruce Rauner also means PTSD and terminal illness are now among the qualifying conditions. But the primary sponsor of the pilot program also means it will become more difficult to add more qualifying conditions.

Urbana’s Ray Spooner is planning to ride his bicycle all the way across the country.  He and his group are setting out from San Diego, California this weekend.  But as Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline learned, what Ray is calling his “little ride,” is anything but little.