Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York is set to use his executive powers to loosen restrictions on the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Legislature, where medical marijuana bills have stalled repeatedly in the State Senate, ought to expand and strengthen the governor's effort through appropriate legislation.
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As reported by The Times on Sunday, Mr. Cuomo, who had long resisted legalizing medical marijuana, is planning to announce a policy on Wednesday that would allow marijuana to be used to treat severe illnesses, like cancer, glaucoma and other serious diseases to be identified by the State Health Department.
In many cancer patients, marijuana can alleviate the nausea caused by chemotherapy. The drug is also potentially useful in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, pediatric brain seizures, and AIDS, among other debilitating illnesses. It would be available in only 20 hospitals across the state.
Some 20 states and the District of Columbia already allow medical uses of marijuana, so New York, long a holdout, would be joining a national trend.
One concern about Mr. Cuomo's plan is that it may be too restrictive. Twenty hospitals, yet to be designated but scattered around this large state, may not provide sufficient access to patients who need the therapy. And the strains of marijuana that can be used may not be best for many patients.
A bill introduced in the Assembly by Richard Gottfried, of Manhattan, and in the Senate by Diane Savino, of Staten Island, both Democrats, would allow a wider range of organizations to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana, under monitoring by the State Health Department, for patients certified as eligible. It would also allow the use of strains specifically designed for the needs and conditions of particular patients. Mr. Cuomo ought to support this legislation.
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