The New York State Department of Health announced Thursday via press release that chronic pain would soon become a qualifying condition to receive medical marijuana in the state of New York.

Heath Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker stated, after reviewing various scientific literature, it became clear there are benefits to patients suffering from chronic pain. Now the department must develop protocol to determine who is eligible.

In order to perscribe medical marijuana, nurse practitioners must take a NYSDOH approved course online and submit their certificates of completion to the department.

Chronic pain will now join the 10 other qualifying conditions needed to obtain a perscription for medical marijuana in the state of New York:

  • Cancer
  • HIV/AIDS
  • ALS
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Nerve damage
  • Epilepsy
  • Inflamatory Bowel Disease
  • Neuropahties
  • Huntington's Diseas

There are 28 states in the country that now permit legal medical marijuana and that number is sure to rise in coming years as more benefits are realized.

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