SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Public Health has rejected intractable pain and autism spectrum disorder as medical conditions that could be treated with medical cannabis.



The petition to add intractable pain to the medical marijuana program was submitted in July 2015 to the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board.



Department of Public Health Director Nirav Shah on Monday noted in rejecting the petition that none of information submitted demonstrated an individual diagnosed with intractable pain could benefit from medical cannabis.



Shah also pointed out no evidence was presented in a petition submitted in October 2015 that a person diagnosed autism spectrum disorder would benefit from the use of marijuana.



Illinois law lists dozens of diseases, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS, that can qualify a patient for cannabis use with a doctor's recommendation and a state ID card.





