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GALEF SURVEY INDICATES RESIDENTS FAVOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Results of a survey Assemblywoman Sandy Galef sent to each of her constituents in the 90th Assembly District overwhelmingly indicated that Albany lawmakers should approve legislation allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana to chronically ill patients.

Galef told the Putnam County Courier last weekend that 77 percent of the more than 11,000 responses to the survey favored medical marijuana.  "I was surprised by the overwhelming response.  This is significant and is a change in attitude," she said.

A Carmel woman who recently underwent an extensive regiment of chemotherapy and radiation following major cancer surgery admitted smoking pot to ward off the nausea resulting from the treatments.  "I'm not a pot head by any stretch of the imagination but a couple of hits in the confines of my kitchen immediately alleviated the nausea associated with the treatments," she said.

Another response that totally surprised Galef concerned itself with legislation requiring insurance to cover mental illness as physical illness is currently accounted for.

Just under 85 percent of all responders favored the introduction of such a bill.  "For a long time, people felt that mental illness didn't fit into this category.  I'm happy to see a change in values among my constituents," she said.

One question dealing with increasing gambling to fund public education was defeated by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.

A question relating to the allowance of state dollars to be used for making capital improvements at private colleges and universities was also overwhelmingly rejected with 87 percent of the recipients objecting.

Eighty percent of Galef's constituents approve stem cell research in New York State for medical purposes while 69 percent of the assemblywoman's district are opposed to partial public financing of campaigns for judicial candidates.

Galef said she would be using the input from her survey when considering legislation in Albany next year.

The 90th Assembly District encompasses the towns of Kent, Putnam Valley and Philipstown along with Cortlandt, Ossining and the city of Peekskill in northern Westchester.