Thousands Apply for Medical Cannabis in Illinois

Patients with qualifying conditions were granted permission to submit their applications starting on September 1, 2014 to receive and administer medical marijuana in Illinois. It was unsure of how many patients would be interested in the program, but so far, over 2,000 patients have applied.

The list of qualifying conditions for the state of Illinois is quite extensive, with conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, Tourette’s syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. For the full list, please click here. The state law was signed in 2013 and states that patients can possess two and a half ounces of cannabis per 14-day period.

According to state rules, patients with last names beginning with the letters A through L can apply for the medical marijuana program between September 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014. Any qualifying patients with the last names beginning with the letters M through Z can apply from November 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. Once qualifying patients apply for the program, the Illinois Department of Public Health has 30 business days to review the completed applications from the date they received them, and they have 15 days after the application was approved to issue an identification card.

 Jim Champion, an Army veteran, was one of the first of many to apply for the program. He has multiple sclerosis and smoke two marijuana cigarettes daily to help with the painful muscle spasms. Since smoking marijuana, Champion was able to cut down from using 59 pills to just six to manage his condition.

 Currently, patients have to be 18 years old and older to apply for the program until January 1, 2015. After this date, the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Medical Cannabis will begin to accept applications for minors that suffer from sizes, including those characteristic of epilepsy. At this time, the Department is coming up with new rules for how they will issue registry identification for minors on the program.

Medical Marijuana’s Effect on Alzheimer’s

A large percentage of individuals know someone who ends up getting Alzheimer’s disease, a neurological disorder that causes loss of memory and learned behavior. Watching a loved one suffer the effects of this devastating disease are quite painful, but is it possible that cannabinoid therapy may help patients with Alzheimer’s experience some type of relief from their symptoms? There are approximately 4.5 million Americans with this condition, and at this time there are no approved treatments available to stop the progression of AD. There are also not many pharmaceuticals at this time that have been FDA-approved to treat the disease’s symptoms.

A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggest that in tiny doses, THC might slow down the production of the beta-amyloid production, which is a known hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. A lead author at the University of South Florida’s Bryd Alzheimer’s Institute, Chuanhai Cao explained, “THC is known to be a potent antioxidant with neuroprotective properties, but this is the first report that the compound directly affects Alzheimer’s pathology by decreasing amyloid beta levels, inhibiting its aggression.”

There have also been similar studies that concluded that THC is effective in fighting the formation of harmful brain plaques. A 2006 study by the Scripps Institute found that THC blocked aggregation of plaques completely.

None of these researchers are suggesting that anyone at this time uses illicit drugs to prevent the disease. They are just explaining that their findings suggest that the compound can be explored further in hopes that it can someday help to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

 Many states with intact medical marijuana laws approve the medication for use with conditions such as cancer, Crohn’s disease, MS, Parkinson’s disease, seizures, migraines, chronic pain, and many other debilitating conditions. Medical marijuana has been proven quite effective at helping relieve symptoms of many illnesses, allowing patients to lead happier lives. Researchers only hope that with ongoing studies, cannabis can someday help those with Alzheimer’s as well.

Is Marijuana Effective for Pain Management?

Many people who have effectively been using marijuana for years swear by the drug’s ability to reduce pain. However, a handful of medical experts argue that there just isn’t enough research to confirm that medical cannabis is an effective treatment for pain. At a recent presentation at the 2014 European League Against Rheumatism Congress, the associate professor of medicine at the Quebec McGill University, Dr. Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, spoke about her beliefs on medical marijuana. She believes that despite the widespread legalization of medical marijuana in many states in America, there hasn’t been much evidence to show the therapeutic effects of cannabinoid molecules on musculoskeletal pain.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has often questioned the medical benefit of marijuana. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency doesn’t believe that marijuana has any “accepted medicinal value in treatment in the United States, and evidence that there is a general lack of accepted safety for its use is even under medical supervision.”
However, many people are believers that marijuana does wonders to reduce pain in patients with various conditions. According to The Mayo Clinic, “Marijuana has been studied for the treatment of chronic pain. It has been used in people whose pain did not respond to other drugs such as narcotics. Cannabis-based products like Sativex are used to treat different types of pain, such as pain from cancer or multiple sclerosis.” 
The American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Public Health Association, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the American Nurses Association all endorse the use of medical marijuana for treating severe chronic pain. A study conducted in 2000 concluded that of the 1,300-fibromyalgia patients surveyed, 70-80% of them that used medical marijuana experienced some pain relief.
In an article WeedLynx published earlier this month, a study conducted by JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that there may be a connection between states with active medical marijuana programs and fewer opiate-related deaths. The majority of individuals with access to medical marijuana are choosing this method of pain relief over harmful and even possibly deadly painkillers.
While there may not be enough hard evidence to support how effective medical cannabis is on pain relief, many people over the years have been able to lead much happier and pain-free lives because of this amazing plant.

Free Pot for the Poor?

Low-income patients in Berkeley, California may be in luck next August. The city is offering a unique benefit to qualifying individuals. Patients with a valid prescription for medical marijuana and earn less than $32,000 per year (or $46,000 per family) will be able to get free pot from one of the city’s dispensaries. According to a law passed unanimously by the city council, these dispensaries are required to set aside two percent of their medical marijuana for low-income residents.

Many people recognize marijuana as a legal medicine and don’t want to keep people in need unable to obtain medication that can improve their quality of life. Darryl Moore, Berkeley City Councilmember explained, “The city council wants to make sure that low-income, homeless, indigent folks have access to their medical marijuana, their medicine.” Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates said, “There are some truly compassionate cases that need to have medical marijuana, but it’s expensive. You hear stories about people dying from cancer who don’t have the money.”

Not everyone agrees with this new program though. Head of the International Faith Based Coalition, Bishop Ron Allen, shared his thoughts, “It’s ludicrous, over-the-top madness. Why would Berkeley City council want to keep their poverty-stricken under-served high, in poverty and lethargic?”

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, and many people rely on something called “compassion” for help with their medication, another form of free marijuana that approximately one percent of patients have already received since 1999. The chief operating officer of the Berkeley Patients Group explained, “We do this on our own, so we certainly welcome the city mandating that all dispensaries create these sorts of programs.”

While many agree with the many benefits of medical marijuana, it doesn’t come cheap. An ounce can cost patients $400. For individuals without jobs, it makes it impossible for them to get their hands on it to help manage their conditions. There are high hopes that this new program will bring much needed relief to qualifying individuals in need.

Companies Can Apply to Become Growers in Minnesota Now

On Friday September 5, 2014, Minnesota began taking applications for companies that want to become one of the two certified medical marijuana growers in the state. A company that has already expressed interest in applying is Bachman’s Inc., a Minneapolis-based garden and floral center. However, the owners of the company want to express that their company will have nothing to do with them growing marijuana if it does happen. Bachman’s Inc. has been in business since 1885. The company specializes in indoor and outdoor landscaping and operating six retail floral, gift, and garden centers in Minnesota.

 The two companies chosen to become the state’s manufacturers will grow, cultivate, and supply the medicine to patients beginning in July 2015. Any company interested in applying to become one of these two companies will need to present detailed plans that will coincide with Minnesota’s medical marijuana laws, this includes detailing the security plans and the requirements for the delivery routes. There is also a hefty non-refundable $20,000 fee to apply as well. The state hopes to choose the two producers by December.

Minnesota patients must have one of the qualifying medical conditions to be considered for the medical marijuana program. The qualifying conditions include AIDS, ALS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, MS, seizures, Tourette’s, and terminal illnesses that have less than a year of life expectancy. The qualifying patients will not be allowed to smoke the marijuana, and the will only be allowed to access the cannabis if the doctor qualifies them for a doctor-recommended study.

 It is expected that there will be approximately anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 people that qualify for the medical marijuana program. The two producers chosen would need to pay startup costs that are estimating in the millions. There were over 200 people to show up to an informal meeting in early August to express interest in producing cannabis for the state, so it is expected that there will be quite a few applicants to choose from when the time comes.

The deadline for applications is October 3, 2014.