At the age of 24, Chicago Reader associate editor Brianna Wellen was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that attacks part of the immune system. A year later, she’s now cancer-free, but she still suffers from side-effects from her chemotherapy treatments, including neuropathy in her hands. 

Cancer is a qualifying condition for medical marijuana, but as Wellen has learned, getting medical marijuana is a difficult, drawn-out process in Illinois.

Tony Sarabia talks to Wellen about her experience and the experiences of other Illinois residents with qualifying conditions who have found it hard or impossible to get a prescription for medical marijuana.