Albany, N.Y. – New York is considering expanding its 9-month-old medical marijuana program by adding more growers and allowing home delivery.
The state Health Department has issued a report recommending ways the program can be improved. Some of those recommendations include:
- Registering five additional growers over the next two years.
- Making it easier for schools and health care facilities to administer medical marijuana.
- Allowing medical marijuana producers to advertise.
- Making more brands available.
- Allowing nurses to prescribe medical marijuana.
The health department said in the report it’s also considering making available to the public a list of doctors who have been approved by the state to prescribe medical marijuana. Patients now must find participating doctors through word of mouth or by a referral by their physician.
The department said it also wants to make it easier for doctors to register with the medical marijuana program.
As of June 15, there were about 600 doctors registered statewide. In Central New York there are 32 doctors participating in the program — 26 in Onondaga County, five in Oswego, one in Madison and none in Cortland and Cayuga. The report shows there are 17 counties in Upstate New York without any participating doctors.
New York has one of the most restrictive medical marijuana programs in the nation.
Medical marijuana is only available to patients with these conditions: HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy and Huntington’s disease.
In addition to one of those conditions, patients also must have one or more of these complications: wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe or persistent muscle spasms.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: NY Considering Home Delivery Of Medical Marijuana
Author: James T. Mulder
Contact: Upstate New York
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Website: Upstate New York