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Medical Marijuana Finally Gains Momentum with New York State Lawmakers

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Although the Oaksterdam situation has received national media coverage, it is important not to lose sight of the larger picture.  Everyday members of state level governments show they are not intimidated by federal bullying.  Unfortunately, in the third largest state in U.S., medical marijuana discussions have been surprisingly quiet in the political spectrum, until now.

New York has approximately 20 million residents, many of which are seeking relief from debilitating medical conditions.  The Empire State has failed to enact legislation that permits medical marijuana previously, but the political tides seem to be turning.  State Senator Diane Savino, (D-Staten Island) is the lead sponsor of a new medical marijuana bill that will be introduced  shortly in the state assembly.  The assembly is controlled by Democrats and has approved several of the previous measures that were rejected by the New York Senate.  State Democrats are confident that they can muster enough Republican support for the bill, leaving New York’s Governor as the wild card.

Governor  Andrew Cuomo ran a campaign in 2010 where he directly stated his opposition to legalizing medical marijuana in New York.  However, his stance seems to be softening a bit.  Governor Cuomo now acknowledges that there has been more research on marijuana’s benefits and that the issue can be revisited.  However, he says he does not feel there is enough time left in this year’s legislative session to properly hold the discussion.  While the statement may buy time for Cuomo, it does not seem like he is willing to outright dismiss the idea any longer.  There could be good reason for this as a Quinnipiac University poll conducted shortly after Cuomo took office in 2010 showed that 71% of New Yorkers were in favor of medical marijuana.

Andrew Cuomo is a second generation Governor and likely learned a great deal about what it takes to succeed running New York State.  His father Mario Cuomo, spent 12 years as Governor of New York state.  It does not take a political genius to realize that ignoring the wishes of millions of New Yorkers may not be politically savvy .  Patients may place pressure on the Governor in order for him to accelerate discussions, and make up his mind sooner rather than later.

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