New York Set To Legalize Medical Marijuana, Will Take 18 Months To Implement

New York is set to become the latest state to legalise medical marijuana, and all that is needed to complete the act is governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature.

Cuomo is expected to sign the document which will permit the use of the substance after the “Compassionate Care Act” was passed by the State Assembly on Friday. Jason Elan, a spokesman for Senator Diane Savino, who is a sponsor of the bill, confirmed this news before adding that the state Senate had passed it too.

Doctors will soon be allowed to provide patients who are suffering from a predefined list of serious diseases and illnesses with marijuana in a non-smokable form.

According to CNN, Cuomo once again told reporters on Friday of his support for the movement:

“Medical marijuana has significant upsides and significant potential downsides. We wanted to do right. And that was the balance that we had to find in this piece of legislation… It is a system that will provide the benefits to people who need it, which can be significant. Even for children, children with epilepsy. But it is a system that also has safeguards, will involve the State Police to monitor and supervise the system.”

Cuomo did admit that it could actually take around 18 months for this measure to be fully implemented though.

Savino also lavished praised on the decision, calling it “an historic victory for thousands of New Yorkers who will no longer have to suffer needlessly during their courageous medical battles.” She then added, “Under this bill, New Yorkers will now have the same access to life-changing treatment options that others around the country have had.”

Cuomo added that penalties have been set-up just in case someone tries to defraud this system, while the governor also admitted that it possesses a “fail safe” option which allows him to “suspend the program at any time on recommendation of either the State Police Superintendent or the Commissioner of Heath if there is a risk to the public health or public safety.”

If New York confirms this measure, medical marijuana, in some form, will have now been allowed by 23 states, which includes several that border The Empire State, such as Connecticut, Vermont, and New Jersey.

Of course there have been some objections to New Yorks impending legalisation. William Foster, the president of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, previously said of the matter, “I think serious questions can be raised about using a political vehicle to achieve the use of prescribable medication in America.”

[Image via Stanimir G.Stoev/Shutterstock]