The Illinois Department of Public Health is planning to appeal a Cook County judge’s ruling that certain types of pain should qualify for treatment with medical marijuana. The judge ruled patients should be able to use pot to relieve pain that isn’t responsive to other types of treatment. But a spokeswoman for the public health department says that should be overturned. Democratic State Senator Don Harmon says he applauds the judge’s decision — Harmon is sponsoring a bill he says would go even further, offering marijuana as an alternative to addictive painkillers. Harmon says anecdotal and scientific evidence shows cannabis is an effective treatment for managing pain.