[vta]

ALBANY -- Legalizing marijuana for medical use, which would produce millions of dollars in revenue for New York, continues to be part of negotiations on the state budget, which is now more than 80 days late, officials said Monday.

"To me the reason for enacting it is treating patients with serious conditions fairly, but the revenue is certainly a reason to make it part of the budget. So, all of those issues are very much up in the air," said Assembly Health Committee Chairman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, who is sponsoring the bill.

Fourteen other states have authorized medical use of marijuana for patients with serious, debilitating or life-threatening medical conditions like HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. It has been found to relieve nausea, chronic pain and muscle spasms and increase appetite.

If legislation is passed in New York, the state would have the "most narrow and restrictive of any law in the country," Gottfried said.

Proposals to legalize marijuana for medical use have been in the Legislature for more than a dozen years. Last year, when Democrats took control of the Senate, was the first time both houses had identical bills and medical marijuana was thought to have a chance of passing. The Assembly approved a bill in 2007 and 2008. But neither house passed a bill last year.

The legislation is on the Assembly calendar and could be voted on as a stand-alone bill, Gottfried said. It is still in committee in the Senate, which has never passed a medical-marijuana bill.

The Senate included the legalization of marijuana in its budget resolution several months ago. The bill could make its way to the floor or become part of the state budget, said Senate Health Committee Chairman Thomas Duane, D-Manhattan, who is sponsoring the bill. Medical marijuana should be available to people who really need to alleviate their suffering when nothing else has helped, he said.

"Both are still possibilities and it's possible that neither will happen," Duane said. "This is Albany after all. Marijuana's a controversial issue."

One thing about cannabis articles...there is always a joke in the title.

MMJ bill sparking debate in NY legislature
Source: Ithaca Journal

[igrowone]

the last version of this bill didn't look super restrictive, gave me hope that something worthwhile may happen soon
certainly not a Cali version, but you got to start somewhere

[karmasabitch]

As Jerry sang, "New York has the ways and means". The stinkin stoolie log politicians just won't let it be. Or anything for that matter. They should have benifited from billions in racino/casino revenues for a decade now. The rat fuck politicos can't get it straight.

[bigdaddyc9]

My friggin mental health needs this bill to pass.I mean I am not going to give up the only medicine that works for me,and my diagnosed illnesses.I mean lets face it,480mg of Oxycontin vs. a few bowls a day?Which do you think would be better for me or anyone for that matter.Being on opiates has essentually ruin my life.Its a bitch to get my scripted meds at pharmacy where there is always a glitch.I get the look of scorn in my eyes just knowing what they think.I could get rid of almsot all my meds-480mg oxys daily,90mg Roxis daily and Marinol.3 right off the top.Marinol is essentually worthless as its tough choking down a pill while trying not to vomit.And it makes me paranoid.Please Ny oh please .It would be nice to not live in terror that the Gestapo is gonna jack boot thier way into my home,kill my dogs and scare my family to death all because I want to grow and use my medicine of choice for a documented illness that cannabis is shown to benefit.I will use a vaporizer and never use my medicine in front of my kids or anyones kids.In privacy of my own home behind closed doors so I can have at least a 25% boost in quality of life.I and a million others deserve this.Im ramblin.Peace and One Love BigD