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New York To Allow Limited Medical Marijuana

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Mon Jan 06, 2014 at 08:21:00 AM EST
Tags: medical marijuana (all tags)
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will announce this week that he is issuing an executive order which will allow seriously ill patients to receive medical marijuana from hospitals.

The policy is intended for patients with serious diseases like cancer and glaucoma.

In light of how far the rest of the country has come, this seems like very small potatoes. But at least it's a step in the right direction.

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    New York To Allow Limited Medical Marijuana | 5 comments (5 topical)

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    Is Glaucoma a Serious Disease ? (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Jan 06, 2014 at 12:27:51 PM EST
    Not being funny, I know it can lead to blindness, but are those folks in real pain and is MM the only effective treatment.

    I applaud the governor, but what happens to all these folks when the next boss decides to undo the order.  What a mess for hospitals, how does a corporation like a hospital handle illegal goods on the books and are they going to seriously produce paperwork, invoices, for patients of a drug that illegal in the US, or even in the state they are head-quartered in a state in which it's illegal.  Insurance as well, but they probably have policy that they don't pay for illegal drugs, period.

    MM in other states kind of avoid this dilemma by having dispensaries, and not hospitals dispensing MM.  Corporate America has been very obvious in staying away from this business.  Now Cuomo is bringing Corps into it, will they do it, might be the only way to get it off Schedule I or might be a disaster.

    I can't imagine any hospital wanting to get wrapped up in the mess between Fed and State law.  What sort of liability is there for a Hospital giving sick patients a drug deemed by the Federal Government to have no medical value ?

    The Fed seriously needs to address this issue very soon.  Who controls the drug scheduling, Congress, the DEA ?  IOW what has to be done to get MM into the a more accurate classification ?

    I agree (none / 0) (#2)
    by Mikado Cat on Tue Jan 07, 2014 at 04:40:02 AM EST
    I can't see a hospital wanting to be a MM dispensary, WAY too much to lose if the FED decides to do something.

    Makes me wonder what is actually going on politically.

    Parent

    My theory... (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by kdog on Tue Jan 07, 2014 at 10:24:30 AM EST
    is Cuomo is just trying to cash in on all the good pot PR without actually doing anything substantial to help the sick and/or tyrannized.

    He's always been uncivilized on this issue, and though I'd certainly welcome an about face this ain't it...I too just can't see hospitals stocking medical marijuana in violation of federal law.  

    Parent

    As it is now if you (none / 0) (#3)
    by fishcamp on Tue Jan 07, 2014 at 07:13:11 AM EST
    check into a hospital with traces of illegal substances in your blood they don't say a word about it as they want to be able to collect the insurance money.  The insurance companies will probably rule the roost on this situation.

    Parent
    And It's Not illegal to Be High as a Kite... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by ScottW714 on Tue Jan 07, 2014 at 03:31:10 PM EST
    ...only illegal if you are underage(for alcohol) or driving/flying/boating and in some states, being pregnant.

    Something I always though was odd, you can consume drugs without breaking the law, so long as someone else blows the smoke, holds the straw, drops the pill in your mouth, or shoots the junk into your veins, not a crime, so long as you never take possession of the substance.

    They might slap a disorderly conduct or public intoxication charge, or lie about you possessing it, but technically being blasted out of your mind is not a crime.  

    Which is very odd to me, everything related to drugs is illegal, except the actual thing they are trying to stop, being under their influence.

    Parent

    New York To Allow Limited Medical Marijuana | 5 comments (5 topical)

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