Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
The New York Senate Health Committee approved a medical marijuana bill, S 4041-B, on a 9-3 vote Tuesday. The measure now moves to the Senate Codes Committee. The Assembly version of the bill, A 9016, passed out the Assembly Health Committee last month and is now before the Assembly Codes Committee.
The Assembly approved medical marijuana bills in 2007 and 2008, but the measure had never gotten a Senate floor vote while Republicans controlled the state Senate until after the 2008 elections. Last year, the Senate Health Committee passed a bill, but it never got a floor vote as the Democratic leadership in the Senate imploded in bitter infighting.
The bill would allow patients with a doctor's recommendation and state registration or their caregivers to possess up to 2 ½ ounces of usable marijuana, but not to grow it. Marijuana cultivation would be done by registered producers, who would not provide the product to patients and caregivers, but would instead sell it to pharmacies, the state or local health departments, or nonprofit organizations registered as medical marijuana providers.
"We applaud the New York Senate Health Committee members for doing the right thing and taking this important step toward protecting sick and dying New Yorkers from arrest or jail," said Noah Mamber, legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project. "Let's hope New York legislators will follow the lead of New Jersey, the state next door, which is about to become the 14th state to implement an effective medical marijuana law."
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Comments
Thanks for covering this
Thanks for covering this. Just a note, the final health committee vote tally was 11-6.
Get involved! Are you a patient or grassroots activist?
Please visit our Patient Advocacy website, www.nypatientsfirst.org to get involved with the grassroots movement to help patients help pass these much-needed medical marijuana bills through the NY Assembly and the NY Senate!
We have updated information on the progress, and ways to help you get involved! Please join us and take action now, you can be the change you want to see in NY! We need all the help we can get, especially if you are a patient, health care professional, or have the ability to help us do work such as gather signatures, and help get patients to meetings with elected representatives. Thanks for being a part of positive change NY!
There is nobody out there
There is nobody out there that could want medical marijuana to become legal in New York more than I do, however, this pending bill [S4041-B] is horrifing. The level of restiction is ridiculous. If it did become legal in the right way I would have become both a patient as well as a caregiver, in fact, if it would have been possible, I would have tried to create a business that would deal in both medicinal and industrial marijuana, because I believe so deeply in the great potiential of both. The opportunities for the people of New York and New Yorks' economy would be incredible, but this must be for the people, the infusion that New Yorks' small business world has needed. This new industry has the potiential of providing so many jobs, so many different types of jobs, from farming to manufacturing the number of different careers that would be created is astounding. Fiber used for creating paper could contribute to saving so much of americas' precious forest land, food products and suppliments far higher in nutritional value than a large majority of products out there would be able to be created, fabric for organic clothing, and even biofuel, these are only some of the products that would provide for hundreds no more like thousands of jobs and careers for the great and deserving people of New York. The government controlling and profiting and only sharing this industry with the pharmaceutical companies is a disgusting slap in the face to the people of New York. The industries connected with marijuana were meant for the people and the economics of their lives, not another way for our government and the pharmaceutical companies to control and profit off of us while we struggle to survive. With so many desperate to find work and an industry that can not only provide it but that can create careers and that could take a person from jobless to becoming a proud small business owner contributing to society and their fellow man. Can we really allow such a restrictive bill to be the last word for new yorkers? I don't think so. It's time to speak up and be heard!
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