New York officially becomes 23rd US state with medical marijuana

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New York officially becomes 23rd US state with medical marijuana

8 July 2014

On 7th July, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a medical marijuana bill into law, making New York the twenty-third state to allow legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients. Patients, caregivers and healthcare providers are attending the bill signing ceremony at The New York Academy of Medicine, along with the bill sponsors, Assemblyman Dick Gottfried and Senator Diane Savino.

After years of advocacy and intense last minute negotiations between lawmakers, the bill passed on the final day of the legislative session with extraordinarily strong bipartisan support. New York is the second largest state in the nation with a medical marijuana law.

“Thanks to the bill sponsors and the Governor’s actions today, New York has joined twenty-two other states in creating safe and legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients,” said Holly Anderson Executive Director of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. “Patients in New York have been fighting for this for eighteen years, and they have waited long enough. I urge the Governor to do everything within his power to insure that patients in New York can access medical marijuana as soon as possible."

The final bill was not as comprehensive as patients had hoped but, if implemented swiftly and effectively, it will nevertheless provide relief for thousands of New York patients suffering from serious and debilitating conditions by allowing the use of medical marijuana under the supervision of their physician. The conditions covered under the law include cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, certain spinal cord injuries, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, neuropathy, and Huntington’s disease. The bill gives the Governor broad control of the program, including the ability to add conditions.

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