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Illinoisans Asking For Medical Marijuana To Cover More Illnesses

Credit flickr/eggrole

Illinois residents have petitioned the state to add more than 20 medical conditions to the medical marijuana program, including anxiety, migraines, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder.  

The Associated Press obtained the petitions through a Freedom of Information Act request. Names of petitioners were blacked out to protect patients' privacy. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans of Vietnam and Iraq asked that PTSD be included, adding emotional pleas for help.  

The state's law includes dozens of conditions and diseases that can qualify a patient to use medical marijuana. Adding to the list requires approval from the Illinois Department of Public Health.  

An advisory board of patients and doctors is reviewing the hundreds of pages of petitions and will make a recommendation after holding a public hearing May 4.
  

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
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