SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois medical marijuana advocates say they delivered 25,000 signatures to Gov. Bruce Rauner ahead of the State of the State address.
Medical Cannabis Outreach petitioned the Republican governor Wednesday to expand the state's medical marijuana program to include post-traumatic stress disorder, which affects many military veterans, and seven other conditions.
Iraq war veteran Jonathan Byrne says he wants Rauner to give vets a choice to use marijuana instead of prescription drugs. He has a traumatic brain injury.
The state's first medical marijuana dispensaries opened in November.
An expert panel has recommended adding eight medical conditions to the marijuana treatment list. The Illinois Department of Public Health is expected to rule on the recommendations by the first of February.
