The General
New Member
Medical marijuana may finally be growing on New York State lawmakers. Bolstered by growing public acceptance and hints of support from Gov. Cuomo, proponents of pot as medicine believe newly re-drafted legislation will be approved in Albany this spring - making New York the 22nd state to legalize medical marijuana. "We're closer to this than we have ever been before," said Gabriel Sayegh of the Drug Policy Alliance. Hoping to overcome the remaining opposition in the state Senate, advocates have revised the legislation to place tighter restrictions on how the drug can be used and who gets to use it. The new version, introduced Friday, removed language that gave doctors freedom to prescribe pot for a wide array of symptoms. Instead, the new version limits its use to about 20 serious conditions, including cancer, traumatic brain injury, AIDS, Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis and post- traumatic stress disorder.
The new version also prevents anyone under 21 from being able to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes - though they could be prescribed other forms of the drug - and forbids anyone with a felony narcotics conviction from working in a marijuana dispensary. Bill sponsor Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) said the changes grew out of conversations with lawmakers who feared legalization of marijuana for medical purposes would lead to widespread abuse.
Savino believes the new revisions would give New York the most tightly regulated medical marijuana system in the country. It would employ a "seed to sale" model, similar to the system used in Colorado, in which state-sanctioned firms grow, distribute and sell herb to patients. Advocates also argue it would generate hundreds of millions dollars in new tax revenue for the state and local governments.
While Savino estimates that at least 39 senators support the measure - seven more than is needed for approval - it is unclear whether the new revisions will be enough to persuade key Senate leaders, including GOP leader Dean Skelos and Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon, both Republicans from Long Island, to allow a vote. Medical marijuana legislation has repeatedly passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly only to stall in the more conservative Senate.
"We have not seen the revisions and will review them," said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif. "Like the governor, we are taking a cautious approach." Hannon did not respond to a request for comment, but other senators still expressed reservations. "To me it's just the camel's nose underneath the tent for the legalization of marijuana," said state Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn).
Cuomo has said he would review whatever legislation is finally approved before deciding whether to sign it. Advocates credit him with pushing the issue forward by announcing in his State of the State Address a plan for limited medical marijuana distribution through participating hospitals. "When governor talked about it in January, it absolutely elevated the issue and gave it a heightened level of credibility," said lobbyist Patrick McCarthy, who represents a Colorado-based marijuana grower.
Public opinion polls also show solid support for medical marijuana. A Siena College poll released Tuesday found 51% of voters supported the widespread legalization of medical marijuana and another 26% favored going with Cuomo's limited plan. Only 21% said pot for medical purposes should remain illegal. "I think a lot of people are watching this because New York is uniquely positioned right now to be the next state," Savino said. "And not just the next state, but the most important state."
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Nydailynews.com
Author: Glenn Bain
Contact: Contact Us - NY Daily News
Website: Medical marijuana could be legalized in New York this spring: advocates - NY Daily News
The new version also prevents anyone under 21 from being able to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes - though they could be prescribed other forms of the drug - and forbids anyone with a felony narcotics conviction from working in a marijuana dispensary. Bill sponsor Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) said the changes grew out of conversations with lawmakers who feared legalization of marijuana for medical purposes would lead to widespread abuse.
Savino believes the new revisions would give New York the most tightly regulated medical marijuana system in the country. It would employ a "seed to sale" model, similar to the system used in Colorado, in which state-sanctioned firms grow, distribute and sell herb to patients. Advocates also argue it would generate hundreds of millions dollars in new tax revenue for the state and local governments.
While Savino estimates that at least 39 senators support the measure - seven more than is needed for approval - it is unclear whether the new revisions will be enough to persuade key Senate leaders, including GOP leader Dean Skelos and Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon, both Republicans from Long Island, to allow a vote. Medical marijuana legislation has repeatedly passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly only to stall in the more conservative Senate.
"We have not seen the revisions and will review them," said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif. "Like the governor, we are taking a cautious approach." Hannon did not respond to a request for comment, but other senators still expressed reservations. "To me it's just the camel's nose underneath the tent for the legalization of marijuana," said state Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn).
Cuomo has said he would review whatever legislation is finally approved before deciding whether to sign it. Advocates credit him with pushing the issue forward by announcing in his State of the State Address a plan for limited medical marijuana distribution through participating hospitals. "When governor talked about it in January, it absolutely elevated the issue and gave it a heightened level of credibility," said lobbyist Patrick McCarthy, who represents a Colorado-based marijuana grower.
Public opinion polls also show solid support for medical marijuana. A Siena College poll released Tuesday found 51% of voters supported the widespread legalization of medical marijuana and another 26% favored going with Cuomo's limited plan. Only 21% said pot for medical purposes should remain illegal. "I think a lot of people are watching this because New York is uniquely positioned right now to be the next state," Savino said. "And not just the next state, but the most important state."
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Nydailynews.com
Author: Glenn Bain
Contact: Contact Us - NY Daily News
Website: Medical marijuana could be legalized in New York this spring: advocates - NY Daily News
