NM adds 7 conditions to medical marijuana coverage





Associated Press - February 16, 2009 5:25 PM ET

SANTA FE (AP) - The state Department of Health is adding seven conditions to coverage under the state's medical marijuana program.

Patients can apply if they have painful peripheral neuropathy, intractable nausea or vomiting, severe anorexia/cachexia, hepatitis C infection if that's also receiving antiviral treatment, Crohn's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Health Secretary Dr. Alfredo Vigil said Monday the conditions were added based on recommendations of the department's Medical Advisory Board’s and scientific findings that the conditions could be helped by medical cannabis.

The board recommended adding eight conditions, but Vigil turned down fibromyalgia, saying there wasn't enough evidence that medical marijuana is effective for it.