Christine Green
New Member
There is a major push to get medical marijuana to the people who need it.
The state Assembly passed two bills: One would require a public list of doctors who are registered to prescribe the drug. There are only about 600 New York physicians registered to certify patients for medical marijuana, but no public list of them. As a result, patients are forced to cold-call doctors in hopes of finding one, or go through social media or other potentially unreliable sources.
The bill would require the contact information of registered practitioners to be on the department's website. "I believe that current law - both the Compassionate Care Act and the Freedom of Information Law - requires that this list be public, as was the legislative intent. But apparently it needs to be spelled out," said Assembly Member Gottfried.
Another bill would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medical marijuana. Right now, only doctors have that power in New York.
"To be very honest, the whole program is discouraging," says Christine Emerson.
Emerson's daughter, Julia, has epilepsy and needs medical marijuana to reduce her seizures. But right now, Columbia Care does not have the type of drug that Julia needs so they have to travel all the way to Binghamton.
"It'd be three hours there, about an hour long for an appointment and then three hours back," says Emerson. "So essentially missing a whole day of work and, you know, I have to find child care arrangements."
Overall, Emerson has been disappointed with how the state is handling the legalization of the drug. But she's feeling a little more hopeful now that the state Assembly passed the two new bills.
"I can't even imagine being a patient in need of this and not even knowing where to begin, so of course that bill is great," says Emerson.
"We prescribe OxyContin and Percocet and Vicodin and Fentanyl and Morphine and this is way less toxic and addictive and it's much more benign," says Emerson.
If these bills become law, it would help patients who are struggling to find health care providers. But Christine Emerson says there is a bigger issue.
"I think adding those bills is good but I think we need to see the bigger picture," says Emerson. "Which is we don't have access to the medicine currently."
The bills will now head to the state Senate for approval.
Statement from the state Department of Health
"As this new program continues to grow, the Department will conduct a needs assessment and modify the medical marijuana program accordingly. We remain open, however, to suggestions to improve the program, and continue to closely monitor the program to ensure its capability to serve certified patients."
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Author: Associated Staff
Contact: 585-232-1010
Website: News10NBC
The state Assembly passed two bills: One would require a public list of doctors who are registered to prescribe the drug. There are only about 600 New York physicians registered to certify patients for medical marijuana, but no public list of them. As a result, patients are forced to cold-call doctors in hopes of finding one, or go through social media or other potentially unreliable sources.
The bill would require the contact information of registered practitioners to be on the department's website. "I believe that current law - both the Compassionate Care Act and the Freedom of Information Law - requires that this list be public, as was the legislative intent. But apparently it needs to be spelled out," said Assembly Member Gottfried.
Another bill would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medical marijuana. Right now, only doctors have that power in New York.
"To be very honest, the whole program is discouraging," says Christine Emerson.
Emerson's daughter, Julia, has epilepsy and needs medical marijuana to reduce her seizures. But right now, Columbia Care does not have the type of drug that Julia needs so they have to travel all the way to Binghamton.
"It'd be three hours there, about an hour long for an appointment and then three hours back," says Emerson. "So essentially missing a whole day of work and, you know, I have to find child care arrangements."
Overall, Emerson has been disappointed with how the state is handling the legalization of the drug. But she's feeling a little more hopeful now that the state Assembly passed the two new bills.
"I can't even imagine being a patient in need of this and not even knowing where to begin, so of course that bill is great," says Emerson.
"We prescribe OxyContin and Percocet and Vicodin and Fentanyl and Morphine and this is way less toxic and addictive and it's much more benign," says Emerson.
If these bills become law, it would help patients who are struggling to find health care providers. But Christine Emerson says there is a bigger issue.
"I think adding those bills is good but I think we need to see the bigger picture," says Emerson. "Which is we don't have access to the medicine currently."
The bills will now head to the state Senate for approval.
Statement from the state Department of Health
"As this new program continues to grow, the Department will conduct a needs assessment and modify the medical marijuana program accordingly. We remain open, however, to suggestions to improve the program, and continue to closely monitor the program to ensure its capability to serve certified patients."
News Moderator: Christine Green 420 MAGAZINE ®
Author: Associated Staff
Contact: 585-232-1010
Website: News10NBC
