Medical Marijuana
The Committees on Drugs and the Law and Health Law expressed support for A.7347/S.2774, which would create a system for the production, distribution, and medical use of marijuana for those citizens who would likely benefit from such use. The proposed legislation, the report notes, is among the strictest in the country and would accomplish the dual goal of providing relief to suffering patients and protecting the public interest in regulating a controlled substance. New York State has an obligation to allow people with severe debilitating and life-threatening conditions to access marijuana legally as a means of alleviating their suffering, and the proposed legislation permits them to do so under both medical and governmental oversight.