The New Mexico State Health Department is taking input from the public on expanding the number of ailments that can be treated with medical marijuana.

 

An advisory board is looking at 17 petitions to allow treatment.

 

Currently, cancer, epilepsy and HIV are among the treatable conditions.

 

Petitioners would like others to be added to the list. “We're looking at 17 petitions; some of them are duplicate petitions we're looking at more like 15 conditions. Some of those conditions are post traumatic stress disorder, asthma, hepatitis C. People receiving treatment and these conditions are for people who are really, really sick and need this as a treatment so they can get through their diseases,” Chris Minnick with the New Mexico Department of Health.

 

The health department said fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder and arthritis are among other health problems.

 

Since the program began in 2007, 207 patients have become eligible, with 22 in Dona Ana County.