Thread: New York Governor Cuomo to allow limited use of medical marijuana

New York Governor Cuomo to allow limited use of medical marijuana: paper

NEW YORK Sat Jan 4, 2014 8:15pm EST

A fully budded marijuana plant ready for trimming is seen at the Botanacare marijuana store ahead of their grand opening on New Year's day in Northglenn, Colorado December 31, 2013 file photo.
CREDIT: REUTERS/RICK WILKING

(Reuters) - New York will soon allow the limited use of medical marijuana for seriously ill patients under a plan the governor will announce in the next few days, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has steadily resisted pressure to legalize marijuana, was expected to announce the plan at Wednesday's State of the State address, according to the newspaper's website.

A spokesman for Cuomo was not immediately available to comment on the report.

The newspaper said the policy will be far more restrictive than the laws in Colorado or California, where medical marijuana is available to people with conditions such as backaches.

The move comes amid sharply shifting attitudes in the United States toward marijuana use.

Earlier this week, Colorado became the first state to regulate and sell marijuana for recreational use.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have passed laws in recent years allowing for various uses of medical marijuana - but only Colorado and Washington have decriminalized its recreational use.

Washington is not slated to open its first retail establishments until later in 2014.

Under Cuomo's plan, 20 hospitals across New York will be allowed to prescribe marijuana to patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma and other serious diseases that meet standards to be set by the state Department of Health, the newspaper said.

Cuomo's executive action does not require legislative approval, but instead relies on a provision in a state public health law that allows for the use of controlled substances for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses, it said.

For years, critics have been calling on New York to ease what are considered some of the toughest drug laws in the nation that mandate long sentences for many drug offenders.

(Reporting by Chris Francescani; Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Dan Grebler)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...A0400U20140105

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20 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC
Laws, Fees, and Possession Limits

I. Summary Chart

II. Details by State

III. Sources

I. Summary Chart: 20 states and DC have enacted laws to legalize medical marijuana State Year Passed How Passed (Yes Vote) Fee Possession Limit Accepts other states' registry ID cards? 1. Alaska 1998 Ballot Measure 8 (58%) $25/$20 1 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) unknown1 2. Arizona 2010 Proposition 203 (50.13%) $150/$75 2.5 oz usable; 0-12 plants 2 Yes3 3. California 1996 Proposition 215 (56%) $66/$33 8 oz usable; 6 mature or 12 immature plants 4 No 4. Colorado 2000 Ballot Amendment 20 (54%) $35 2 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) No 5. Connecticut 2012 House Bill 5389 (96-51 House, 21-13 Senate) <acronym title="To be discussed">TBD</acronym>* One-month supply (exact amount to be determined) No 6. DC 2010 Amendment Act B18-622 (13-0 vote) $100/$25 2 oz dried; limits on other forms to be determined No 7. Delaware 2011 Senate Bill 17 (27-14 House, 17-4 Senate) $125 6 oz usable Yes5 8. Hawaii 2000 Senate Bill 862 (32-18 House; 13-12 Senate) $25 3 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature) No 9. Illinois 2013 House Bill 1 (61-57 House; 35-21 Senate) <acronym title="To be discussed">TBD</acronym>* 2.5 ounces of usable cannabis during a period of 14 days No 10. Maine 1999 Ballot Question 2 (61%) No fee 2.5 oz usable; 6 plants Yes6 11. Massachusetts 2012 Ballot Question 3 (63%) <acronym title="To be discussed">TBD</acronym>7 Sixty day supply for personal medical use unknown 12. Michigan 2008 Proposal 1 (63%) $100/$25 2.5 oz usable; 12 plants Yes 13. Montana 2004 Initiative 148 (62%) $25/$10 1 oz usable; 4 plants (mature); 12 seedlings No 14. Nevada 2000 Ballot Question 9 (65%) $2008 1 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature) Yes9 15. New Hampshire 2013 House Bill 573 (284-66 House; 18-6 Senate) <acronym title="To be discussed">TBD</acronym>* Two ounces of usable cannabis during a 10-day period Yes 16. New Jersey 2010 Senate Bill 119 (48-14 House; 25-13 Senate) $200/$20 2 oz usable No 17. New Mexico 2007 Senate Bill 523 (36-31 House; 32-3 Senate) $0 6 oz usable; 16 plants (4 mature, 12 immature) No 18. Oregon 1998 Ballot Measure 67 (55%) $200/$10010 24 oz usable; 24 plants (6 mature, 18 immature) No 19. Rhode Island 2006 Senate Bill 0710 (52-10 House; 33-1 Senate) $75/$10 2.5 oz usable; 12 plants Yes 20. Vermont 2004 Senate Bill 76 (22-7) HB 645 (82-59) $50 2 oz usable; 9 plants (2 mature, 7 immature) No 21. Washington 1998 Initiative 692 (59%) ** 24 oz usable; 15 plants No More info @ http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/v...ourceID=000881