A Cook County Circuit judge has ordered Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Nirav Shah to reconsider his decision not to include migraine headaches on a list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana treatment. The judge said Shah cannot use evidence conducted outside the administrative hearing process.
For the second time in five months, Governor Bruce Rauner's administration has rejected expanding the list of diseases that can be treated with marijuana in Illinois, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The Department of Public Health announced the decision Friday.
Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Chair Leslie Mendoza Temple wants more feedback from Gov. Rauner's administration after 11 conditions were rejected for treatment. Three of them, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, were endorsed a second time by the panel last week.
State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) said while Illinois' Public Health Department should have met its deadline to include 11 more qualifying conditions into the medical cannabis program, he said it could still be done quickly by emergency rule.
