New York Considers Medical Marijuana

TV talk show host and former Navy officer Montel Williams is the latest in a long line of celebrities to lobby for legalized marijuana. Williams isn’t just looking for a legal high, though. He suffers from multiple sclerosis and says he uses medical marijuana to manage his symptoms from this condition.

Many Gather to Promote Medical Marijuana

This week, Williams, a New York resident, appeared at a press conference in Albany, N.Y. and urged New York Governor David Paterson and members of the Legislature to act quickly in passing New York’s medical marijuana bill. He was joined by a host of politicians and others who rallied around the cause.

“Medical use of marijuana for patients with acute conditions like HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma relieves chronic pain and nausea and increases appetite,” according to Sen. Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn).

“It is cruel to turn suffering patients into criminals when they are following what their doctor recommends,” added Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and sponsor of the Assembly medical marijuana bill.

“New York has the opportunity to provide a model on how to mainstream medical marijuana to those patients who so desperately need it,” said Craig Burridge, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, which supports New York’s medical marijuana bill.

Proponents insist that the New York bill would create one of the best-regulated systems in the country for providing seriously ill patients with safe and effective access to medical marijuana.

Medical Marijuana Bill Facts

So there are many in support of the bill and willing to speak out on its behalf, but just what does it do? Here’s a quick rundown:

·      Allow patients facing serious, life-threatening or debilitating illnesses to get marijuana upon the recommendation of their physician.

·      Limit patient possession to no more than 2.5 ounces.

·      Grant the Department of Health the authority to license medical marijuana producers and dispensers, consistent with rules mirroring the state Controlled Substances Act.

·      Allow the Department of Health to establish fees sufficient to cover the cost of administering the program.

·      Allow state-licensed organizations, including pharmacies, to dispense medical marijuana to qualified patients.

·      Allow state-licensed organizations to produce marijuana for sale to dispensers only.

There are 14 states that currently have medical marijuana laws on the books and at least a dozen more have considered raising the issue or have already raised it this year alone.

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