On June 19, Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York's legislative leaders announced their agreement on a bill that would allow medical marijuana use in the state. The Governor is expected to sign the bill into law on Monday, officially making New York the 23rd state to allow marijuana for medical purposes.
The Democratic governor will sign the bill at 1 p.m. at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City. Just a few weeks ago, the bill was passed with overwhelming support in both the State Senate and Assembly, but it has a number of restrictions. For example, the drug cannot be smoked and only a select few patients will be eligible for a prescription.
A patient seeking medical marijuana in New York must be diagnosed with cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, neuropathies, certain spinal cord injuries, inflammatory bowel disease, HIV, or AIDS. However, the bill does acknowledge that the New York Department of Health has the power to consider other conditions for eligibility.
"This legislation strikes the right balance," said Governor Cuomo via this Governor's Press Office release. "Medical marijuana has the capacity to do a lot of good for a lot of people who are in pain and suffering, and are in desperate need of a treatment that will provide some relief. At the same time, medical marijuana is a difficult issue because there are risks to public health and safety that have to be averted. I believe this bill is the right balance."
The program is set to begin in 18 months, as the state will begin to allow five registered organizations establish up to four dispensaries statewide. These organizations' registration with the state to manufacture and/or distribute medical marijuana will last two years at a time, for which it will then be subject to renewal or revocation. The organizations will be permitted to dispense marijuana only to patients who present a valid registry identification card, which will cost $50 per year for certification.
Despite being prohibited to smoke the medical marijuana (which, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, is the drug's most effective form of treatment) thousands of suffering New Yorkers will soon be given access to the medicine they need after a decade of advocating and lobbying. The legalization in New York is likely to convince a number of other states who have yet to approve marijuana for medical use. New York was previously considered a long shot to pass such legislation due to the state's problem with drug use and Governor Cuomo's initial opposition to the idea.
But that will all change at 1 p.m. today when he signs the bill into law. The state of New York will make history and thousands of patients will be given the medication they need within the next year and a half.
You can read more about New York's medical marijuana legislation in this Post-Standard News article.
