The state Department of Consumer Protection said it will soon increase to 14 the number of diseases and conditions eligible for medical marijuana use.
DCP is modifying its marijuana regulations to include sickle cell disease, severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and a type of post-surgical recurring back pain to the list of eligible conditions.
The change comes after a Jan. 14 vote by the Medical Marijuana Board of Physicians to include the conditions.
The physicians voted unanimously last month against adding Tourette’s Syndrome to the list.
“In light of the board members’ careful review and deliberation of the evidence involving the potential for marijuana to alleviate the pain, symptoms and complications of these debilitating conditions, as well as the benefit of avoiding the negative effects associated with opioids, I have concluded that these medical conditions should be added to the list of debilitating medical conditions under the act,” DCP Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris said in a statement Monday. “Accordingly, we will move forward immediately to promulgate a regulation to that effect.”
There will be a hearing and public comment period before DCP sends the proposed regulation to Attorney General George Jepsen for review and the legislature’s Regulation Review Committee for a final vote.
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