Legislation that would allow for the medical use of marijuana by qualified patients, Assembly Bill 6357A was approved by the General Assembly. It's companion legislation, Senate Bill 4406B, was approved by the Senate Health Committee in a 9 to 8 vote on Tuesday, May 20. The measure now awaits action in the Senate Finance Committee.
The Senate Committee votes marks the first time that members of the Senate have ever moved forward on legislation to legalize the therapeutic use of cannabis. In previous years, members of the Assembly have approved similar legislation, only to have members of the Senate fail to act.
This year's measures are supported by a bi-partisan coalition of more than 50 lawmakers. Republican Senators George Maziarz and Mark Grisanti recently came out in support of SB 4406B and cosponsored the legislation.
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Under this act, physician-authorized patients would be permitted under state law to obtain up to 2 and one-half ounces of cannabis from state-licensed dispensaries. You can read the full text of these measures here and here.
Passage of these measures is vital because recently announced plans by the Governor to try and establish a limited program of medical marijuana in hospitals is likely unworkable and will not adequately serve the needs to the state's patient population.
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Voters overwhelmingly support allowing patients to have access to marijuana as a medicine. According to a February 2014 Quinnipiac University poll, 88 percent of New Yorkers -- Nearly 9 out of every 10 --- including 93 percent of Democrats and 82 percent of Republicans -- endorse the use of marijuana when authorized by a physician.
Larry Scwartz, an aide to Governor Cuomo, recently stated in a TV interview that "The Governor wants to see medical marijuana implemented. ...There are some advocates that want to see a more comprehensive law passed. We would support that if they can get it done. If they can successfully get a law passed this year, terrific."
Since 1996, twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have approved legislation allowing for the use of cannabis therapy by qualified patients. New Yorkers deserve these same rights to medical treatment.
Please visit NORML's 'Take Action Center' to quickly and easily contact your elected officials and urge them to support this important legislation:
