Medical Marijuana: Bill Passes New York Assembly, Senate Must Act By Monday
For the second year in a row, the New York Assembly has passed a medical marijuana bill. But the state Senate must act by Monday, when the legislature recesses, or the effort to enact a medical marijuana law in the Empire State will be dead for this year.
The Assembly bill, sponsored by Rep. Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), would allow patients to use marijuana for specified life-threatening or debilitating conditions upon their doctors' certification that it is the most effective treatment. Patients and caregivers would register with the state and receive ID cards. They would be allowed to grow up to 12 plants and possess 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana, although the bill foresees a state-regulated distribution system upon approval of the federal government.
After the state Senate balked at the last minute last year, supporters of the medical marijuana bill attempted to assuage the worries of foes, some of whom felt that last year's version did not provide adequate regulation. The state-regulated distribution system attempts to address those concerns.
"Every day that goes by without this sensible, compassionate law is a day in which our most vulnerable citizens must choose between suffering debilitating pain or risking arrest in order to find relief," said bill sponsor and Assembly Health Committee Chair Gottfried in a statement from the Marijuana Policy Project, which supports the bill. "These patients don't have the luxury of waiting another year for their elected representatives to act -- they need the Senate to stand up for them now."
No word yet on what the Senate Republicans will do. Last year, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said he supported medical marijuana, but changed his mind at the last minute. This year one of his staffers delivered a statement for Bruno at an event organized by the Marijuana Policy Project to support the New York state lobbying effort to pass the bill, so maybe this will be the year.
Comments
Medical Marijuana in NY State
I certainly hope that a Law passes in favor of medical marijuana in NY State!
BUT I hope that the "I.D. Card" they refer to for patients using it is NOT a microchipped ID card. This country is being taken over by fascists. Efforts so far to force an Orwellian ID card onto us have so far failed, due to the awareness & diligence of The People ( See "REAL ID ACT" on youtube. Read: Spychips by Dr Katherine Albrecht). The New World Order is still pushing this card via "enhanced social security cards" etc. If the price being paid for the freedom to use medical marijuana is that of having this draconian ID card pushed onto ppl. let's JUST SAY NO! Vote 4 Ron Paul for President in 2008. While he officially ended his candidacy, there is a whole movement to write him in. Get an absentee ballot & write in Ron Paul. He is for HEALTH FREEDOM! He wants to decriminalize drugs, & protect our Right to take whatever health supplements we want ( a Right that is now in jeopardy). He is also against having vaccinations & meds FORCED onto people, which IS happening now & will only get worse.
Go to: restoretherepublic.com ,
campaignforliberty.com &
criticalmassnow.biz Subscribe to Republic Magazine, the Voice of The Patriot Movement ( one that aims to restore our Freedoms, The Constitution etc), via the last site listed above. March On DC July 12, 08. revolutionmarch.com
This newsletter should be fully & actively supporting Ron Paul & all Paulian candidates running for office at lower levels ( Congress, Assemblyman etc).
any word?
Any updates on the vote?
Still a Chance for Medicine?
FROM WETMTV.COM:
New York State Lawmakers Still At It
Contributor: Zack Wheeler
Last Update: 9:08 pm
Albany - New York’s lawmakers are trying to tie up several loose ends before the state legislature ends its session for the summer. The session is supposed to end Monday, but lawmakers are expected to work into the week to wrap up unfinished business.
One of the biggest issues is the governor's proposal to cap your property taxes at four-percent. Both the senate and assembly have not passed it yet.
Lawmakers went into session Monday morning. END OF ARTICLE
IF THEY'RE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE WEEK, IS THERE STILL A CHANCE?
SENATOR BRUNO COMES OUT STRONG IN THE 15TH ROUND?
I think it was wonderful how New Mexico's Gov. Bill Richardson revived NM's medical marijuana bill & then lobbied overtime to convince NM's lawmakers to protect legitimate (doc recommended) medical marijuana patients from being arrested, from being possibly injured of killed in a "no knock" raid, or from being caged for following their doctors' recommendations.
Wouldn't it be great if Senator Bruno rallied his team to do the right thing (I don't have any idea, if there's still a chance, but I'm dreaming)? Does Bruno realize approx. 80 PERCENT of NY'ers support medical marijuana. Has he read the ACP's paper on medical marijuana? Has he seen the HUGE list of health organizations supporting medical marijuana?
If Bruno has voiced support for medical marijuana in the past, why doesn't he follow through and make it happen before he steps out? Implementing the "WILL of THE PEOPLE" (not the will of the pharmaceutical lobby) really is the right thing to do:
80 percent of respondents supported allowing physicians "to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes to seriously and terminally ill patients, and to alleviate symptoms of diseases and the side effects associated with treatments."
POLL: Zogby International
DATE: April 1999
Sample size: 700
85 percent of respondents supported "permitting doctors to prescribe marijuana."
POLL: The New Yorker Magazine
DATE: January 1998
Sample size: 1,400
Senate
What happened with the vote at Senate? Why do these things take so long? We should know by now, right?
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
make it legal already... think about it. millions of dollars in drug rings? or tax it and make a profit! America! THIS IS WHAT WE NEED! Failing economic situations would end! millions and billions of dollars coming back to the U.S. our problems are over! i did a report at school on this, and is just so obvious that it should be legal. Isnt America a democracy? i beleive we have the right to vote.... LETS VOTE THEN! They are keeping us from our rights. Its a simple heb... And if one just happens to light it and inhale its non toxic fumes, then one would love everything around them. This could spread to ending everything war related, and essentially world peace! LEGALIZE IT!
what a crock NORML is they
what a crock NORML is they pretend they care aboutt he true sick but only want med weed for their own selfish agenda Thats why it s ajoke in Cali Funny NORML acts like everyone is Cali is truely sick.If the card was actually used for the true sick it be legal for med weed But the card is a joke My buddy admitted he is not sick and has the card Funny this same guy was and is a super jock but yet the doc said hes sick What a joke
PLEASE sight your sources
PLEASE sight your sources for your argument...what no sources? This is merely because there IS NO PROOF that availibility of marijuana will increase the usage, and even if it did I suggest you do the research on the pros vs. cons of the issue. If you don't know how to do that, stay out of the debate!!!!
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