The Cannabis Patient Advocacy Coalition is starting a social media campaign using the hashtag slogan #ApproveThe8. This is an effort to push Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner’s administration to expand the state’s medical marijuana program.
The coalition specifically wants to expand the program by adding eight more medical conditions on the list of qualifying conditions. An expert panel in October also recommended eight medical conditions to be added.
The campaign started on Monday where it featured a video clip of a testimonial from an Iraq war veteran asking for PTSD to be added on the list of qualifying conditions. Throughout the campaign, they will be featuring more Illinois residents in short video testimonials.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is expected to release a ruling on the recommendations by February 1. The eight conditions are autism, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder and four more pain syndromes.