Gov. Cuomo is expected to sign the Compassionate Care Act Monday, making New York the 23rd state to legalize marijuana for medical use
Cuomo and the legislature earlier agreed to a limited medical marijuana program for patients with cancer, AIDS, and childhood seizure disorders. It will not allow the drug to be smoked.
Only doctors will be allowed to prescribe the drug, and will have to take a special course before they are permitted to do so.
Patients will have to register with the state Health Department, and will have to carry their registration cards with them at all times.
And there will be criminal penalties for doctors and patients who try to sell or use the drug for other purposes.
The governor says one of the most important provisions, to him, is that he can shut down the program at any time for any reason.
It will be some time before patients will have access to the drug. The new law would not take effect for eighteen months, even longer if Cuomo’s health department decides more time is needed to get the program up and running.
