NYS medical marijuana bill passes

A bill legalizing the use of marijuana for medical use, but only when prescribed and administered by a doctor, has been agreed upon by state lawmakers and Governor Andrew Cuomo, who said “this legislation strikes the right balance” between providing relief to “people who are in pain and suffering [and averting] risks to public health and safety.”

New York is the 23^rd state to allow for medical marijuana use.

Medical marijuana would be limited to usage by patients with diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Parkinson’s Disease, MS, epilepsy, a specific type of spinal cord damage, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies, Huntington’s Disease, and any diagnoses added by the state Health Department Commissioner.

Only vapor/air and oil-based forms—not smoking—are allowed. It would also be tracked in the state’s new prescription drug registry.