Robert Celt
New Member
Citing flaws in the state's current rules, advocates for medical marijuana traveled to the state Capitol on Tuesday to push lawmakers to support loosening New York's restrictions.
The advocates joined with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, to push for a series of changes to the state's program, including a bill that would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to recommend cannabis-based medications.
New York's medical marijuana program has gotten off to a slow start since it launched in January.
As of Tuesday, 526 doctors had registered to participate while only 2,675 patients had been certified. Seventeen of the state's 20 licensed dispensaries have opened.
"When you have a core group of advocates who have been (at the Capitol) 10, 20 times and many of us can't access medication, that is a huge flaw in this program," said Kate Hintz, a North Salem resident whose 5-year-old daughter, Morgan Jones, has Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
Gottfried, who sponsored the original medical marijuana law in the Assembly, sponsors a series of bills that would make changes to it, including one that would make a new series of conditions – such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder – eligible for medical marijuana.
New York's program only allows for non-smokeable medical marijuana and only for a limited list of conditions, such as epilepsy, HIV or AIDS and Parkinson's disease.
The state has about 80,000 active physicians, according to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Current rules only allow physicians to recommend the drug in New York – not physician assistants or nurse practitioners.
Gottfried said New York's medical-marijuana program needs improvement.
"I'd say it has barely gotten off the ground and really needs change to work," Gottfried said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Advocates Fight NY Roadblocks
Author: Jon Campbell
Contact: Democrat and Chronicle
Photo Credit: Allison Dunne
Website: Democrat and Chronicle
The advocates joined with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, to push for a series of changes to the state's program, including a bill that would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to recommend cannabis-based medications.
New York's medical marijuana program has gotten off to a slow start since it launched in January.
As of Tuesday, 526 doctors had registered to participate while only 2,675 patients had been certified. Seventeen of the state's 20 licensed dispensaries have opened.
"When you have a core group of advocates who have been (at the Capitol) 10, 20 times and many of us can't access medication, that is a huge flaw in this program," said Kate Hintz, a North Salem resident whose 5-year-old daughter, Morgan Jones, has Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
Gottfried, who sponsored the original medical marijuana law in the Assembly, sponsors a series of bills that would make changes to it, including one that would make a new series of conditions – such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder – eligible for medical marijuana.
New York's program only allows for non-smokeable medical marijuana and only for a limited list of conditions, such as epilepsy, HIV or AIDS and Parkinson's disease.
The state has about 80,000 active physicians, according to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Current rules only allow physicians to recommend the drug in New York – not physician assistants or nurse practitioners.
Gottfried said New York's medical-marijuana program needs improvement.
"I'd say it has barely gotten off the ground and really needs change to work," Gottfried said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Advocates Fight NY Roadblocks
Author: Jon Campbell
Contact: Democrat and Chronicle
Photo Credit: Allison Dunne
Website: Democrat and Chronicle
