SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) expanding the state’s medical cannabis program to include more conditions and a veteran opioid alternative program was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker today.

"The medical cannabis program in Illinois has a proven track record of helping alleviate pain for many patients in our state," Senator Fine said. "By making the program permanent, expanding the number of qualifying conditions, and allowing veterans to enroll in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program, we will vastly improve the quality of life for many people."

Senate Bill 2023 expands access to the medical cannabis program. It gives nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants the authority to certify a patient’s eligibility for medical cannabis. Currently, only doctors have this authority. The bill also adds 12 additional conditions for eligibility, bringing the total number of conditions to 54.

The legislation takes effect immediately, while the legalization of recreational cannabis takes effect on January 1, 2020. Unlike recreational cannabis, medicinal cannabis is specifically formulated to alleviate the discomforts associated with the qualifying conditions listed in the medical cannabis program.