Connecticut lawmakers OK additional medical marijuana conditions

Connecticut lawmakers have approved the use of medical marijuana for additional conditions.

The General Assembly’s Regulations Review Committee voted Tuesday to add five conditions for adults, including Tourette syndrome and intractable neuropathic pain. The legislators also approved medical marijuana as a treatment for patients under age 18 with those same two conditions.

“I want to thank members of the Regulations Review Committee and our Board of Physicians for their consistently thoughtful consideration of these new conditions,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull said in a written statement. “I am pleased that more patients with severe debilitating conditions will now have medical marijuana as an option for treatment, and I look forward to continuing the Department’s work on this program.”

These new regulations will now be submitted to the Secretary of the State’s Office, which will post them online, making the regulations final.

In addition to Tourette syndrome and intractable neuropathic pain, the committee approved three more conditions for adults: interstitial cystitis, median arcuate ligament syndrome and vulvodynia and vulvar burning. The Medical Marijuana Program Board of Physicians approved chronic pain as a qualifying condition for treatment with the drug last month but that was not voted on by the Regulations Review Committee Tuesday.

Currently, 37,080 patients are participating in Connecticut’s medical marijuana program. Marijuana has now been approved for 36 conditions for adults and 10 for patients under 18.

Connecticut has 15 medical marijuana dispensaries — three more have been licensed and are in the process of opening — and four producers.

The program began in 2012 with 11 qualifying conditions including cancer, glaucoma and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has expanded since then to cover cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and terminal illness requiring end-of-life care.

In 2016 legislators approved the use of medical marijuana for minors, with a separate list of conditions including severe epilepsy and uncontrolled intractable seizure disorder.

Additional medical conditions are still moving through the state’s approval process.

Courant reporting is included.