[Koroz]

Medical Marijuana Law Reform Bills Moving Forward

New York lawmakers are moving forward on legislation this year that seeks to enact legal protections for authorized medical marijuana patients.

Assembly Bill A. 9016 and its Senate companion bill, S. 4041 would allow state-qualified patients to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana for therapeutic purposes. However, unlike the medical cannabis laws that have been enacted in 13 of 14 states, New York's proposals would not allow patients to legally cultivate their own medical marijuana.

Instead, the bills seek to establish not-for-profit facilities to manufacture and distribute marijuana to qualified patients. As introduced, A 9016 and S. 4041 define these patients as those diagnosed by their physician to be suffering "a severe of life-threatening condition, ... including but not limited to (an) inability to tolerate food, nausea, vomiting, dysphoria, or pain."

You can read more about these proposals in the New York Times here.

While NORML believes that several provisions in these proposals are unduly restrictive (e.g., no home cultivation and/or limiting qualifying patients solely to those with a ‘life-threatening condition’), we also recognize that passage of this legislation will help to ensure that many medical marijuana patients in New York will no longer have to fear arrest or prosecution from state law enforcement. It is our hope that these provisions may be expanded or amended during the legislative process so that many other deserving patients may also benefit from this proposed legislation.

Senate Bill 4041 is presently before the Senate Committee on Codes. Assembly Bill 9016 is before the Assembly Committee on Codes.

If you wish to contact your Senator and/or Assemblyman regarding these proposals, please visit NORML's 'Take Action Center' here:

https://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=14619836

Meh is all I have to say really. It is a start, but I hate how people think its easier to "change" laws once it is in place. It took NY decades to reform the Rockefeller laws, I don't see how NORML thinks this will be less restrictive later down the line. Hopefully before this makes the Gov's desk its reformed to allow personal/co-op grow scenarios.

[greenhead]

Those are just proposals I believe. It doesn't mean that they will pass.

They've been trying to pass bills in New York for years now, and every time they get shot down.

Hopefully it will be different one year, maybe this year! But don't get your hopes up too high.

[igrowone]

yeah, we keep slogging along in NY, but don't seem to be getting anywhere
but it does look like something will happen
but this looks worse than NJ's plan, so what's the deal? some contest with new MMJ states to see who can have the most worthless MMJ setup?

[BurmeseDragon]

Ha ha ha, actually it's not funny that they pass these laws to become compassionate yet they set such low possession limits. 2.5 ounces is very hard to dial in on a micro grow, it could last enough to stay moderately medicated between harvests....probably best to do a perpetual harvest style.

[Pythagllio]

Oh they'll never top VA for worthless MMJ laws.

[whodair]

ever try driving on the NYS thruway without grass?? they should sell it at the tool booths i swear

Assembly Bill A. 9016 and its Senate companion bill, S. 4041 would allow state-qualified patients to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana for therapeutic purposes.

However, unlike the medical cannabis laws that have been enacted in 13 of 14 states, New York's proposals would not allow patients to legally cultivate their own medical marijuana.

Instead, the bills seek to establish not-for-profit facilities to manufacture and distribute marijuana to qualified patients.


OK, so, how does one become a not-for-profit grow operator, if patients are only allowed 2.5 ounces? Or will the state establish and monopolise the medical marijuana industry?

I freakin hate NY sometimes. Throw all these bumbling moronic stupid assed politicians out.

[igrowone]

it's not too clear on the grow operator, but there doesn't seem to be any explicit forbidding of a grow operator from being a patient
the bar seems to be higher for operator, to be of 'good moral character'
this setup may not be the worst state law
i'll be glad for some progress, however small it is

[JQP]

As soon as you see "not-for-profit facilities to manufacture and distribute marijuana to qualified patients" you can bet some politicians' buddies are ready to go with this.Just more of the same graft and corruption we're all used to in NY. I was pretty enthused about passage, but it looks like this bill is being written to enrich a few people. If it passes, it will soon be clear who they are.

I don't know if my medical problems are serious enough under this proposed law to get a medical marijuana certificate. Even if I was able to get one, what does that mean? Public labeling? Questions like "Where you getting that weed boy?" I guess I'll just keep growing my own, self-medicate when necessary, and try and stay under the radar.JQ

[THoC]

I hear ya JQP!

If it does make it through the circus in Albany then at least those with severe medical conditions might find some relief and perhaps safer access to their herb. But it seems like our so typically ultra conservative state ( mostly upstate ) still will look to punish the rest. Im not to encouraged that we'll see the allowance to grow your own for your own use ever to adopted by this state.

To much money to be made by having a war on drugs.

:/