Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jun 2014
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY)
Copyright: 2014 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Contact:  http://www.brooklyneagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5273
Author: Matthew Taub

MEDICAL MARIJUANA "HIGH-LY" LIKELY TO PASS IN NEW YORK

The Empire State may soon join over 20 other jurisdictions in the
country that have embraced medical marijuana, lending critical relief
to chronically-injured patients.

The New York State Senate is now deliberating a bill that easily
passed in the State Assembly last month. Negotiations are sensitive
and ongoing, but passage appears to be within reach. The Governor is
likely to sign any proposed legislation into law, despite professed
reservations, sources say.

"It's looking good," a source working on the legislation tells
Brooklyn Brief, who did not wish to be named due to the sensitive and
ongoing nature of the negotiations. "We believe it will be taken up
right before the end of the legislative session and we're hopeful it
will pass."

For over a decade, patients' right advocates, libertarians, and drug
reform activists in New York have pushed for the legislature to
embrace such a law. On May 27th, the State Assembly passed a medical
marijuana bill for the fifth time in history (but prior passages were
never considered by the Senate).This time, the bill passed by a wide
margin of 91--34 and, after a false start, the State Senate began to
actively consider the bill.

Known as the Compassionate Care Act, the bill would provide relief for
thousands of New York patients suffering from serious and debilitating
conditions, such as cancer, MS, and epilepsy, by allowing the use of
medical marijuana under the supervision of their healthcare provider.
According to a recent poll by the Siena Research Institute, New
Yorkers strongly support legalizing medical marijuana for patients
suffering from serious illness.

The issue might be what medical conditions make the
cut.

"The Senate might be putting together a list of what type of specific
illnesses will warrant medical marijuana," the source said. "This list
will most likely be the negotiating portion."

Other outlets have reported that three-way talks between the Assembly,
Senate, and Governor Cuomo have already commenced. Other possible
sticking points include the level of training required for health care
providers and security measures to keep the supply from flowing into
the illegal drug trade.

The Governor, for his part, has professed his support for the "overall
effort" on medical marijuana legislation, but on a radio broadcast
today, indicated that "it makes law enforcement very nervous" and
"there are questions that have to be answered."

Currently, twenty one states and the District of Columbia allow the
use of medical marijuana for treating a broad range of medical
conditions. Minnesota recently passed legislation allowing medical
marijuana and now awaits the governor's signature to become law.

The bill that passed in New York's State Assembly is A6357-2013; the
pending Senate version is S4406A-2013.
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MAP posted-by: Matt