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 The program, which started in July, allows patients suffering from a
limited number of severe or fatal illnesses to use marijuana in a
liquid or pill form. Officials plan on serving about 5,000 patients
and 760 are approved so far.
Dr. Ed Ehlinger, the health commissioner, said a lack of firm
scientific evidence about the benefits and risks made the call
difficult, but the testimony of hundreds of Minnesotans made adding
intractable pain as a qualifying condition the clear choice.
"This gives new options for clinicians and new hope for suffering
patients," Ehlinger said in a news release.
The legislation legalizing medical marijuana in Minnesota started
with nine qualifying conditions and required the health commissioner
to consider adding qualifying conditions, starting with intractable
pain.
Patients certified as suffering from intractable pain can receive
medical marijuana starting in August 2016, he said.
An advisory panel of clinicians and health care providers
recommended against adding intractable pain as a qualifying
condition, he said.
Opponents of the bill legalizing medical marijuana were concerned
that it could lead to wider use of the drug, particularly among
children, and serve as a first step toward legalization of marijuana
for recreational use in Minnesota.
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Current conditions covered by the program include cancer; seizures
including epilepsy; glaucoma; multiple sclerosis and other disorders
that cause severe muscle spasms; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; HIV;
AIDS; and Crohn's disease.
(Reporting by David Bailey in Minneapolis)
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