Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jun 2014
Source: Journal News, The (NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Gannett Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.lohud.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1205
Author: Jon Campbell

SMOKING REMAINS STICKING POINT IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA

ALBANY - Closed-door negotiations over a bill to legalize medical 
marijuana leaked into public view Monday, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and 
a key state senator disagreeing over whether the drug should be smoked.

In separate radio interviews Monday, Cuomo and Sen. Diane Savino, 
D-Staten Island, the bill's sponsor, publicly staked out their 
negotiating positions as they try to reach a compromise on a system 
for allowing marijuana for patients with serious illnesses.

But while last-minute talks have led to some common ground, major 
sticking points remain apparent. In particular, Cuomo said State 
Police and the Department of Health have raised concerns about 
Savino's current bill, which would allow patients over the age of 21 
to smoke the drug.

"The method of intaking the marijuana, the diseases that are 
covered-they have a very expansive list of diseases," Cuomo said on 
"The Capitol Pressroom," a public radio program. "This was supposed 
to be for very serious diseases. There's not supposed to be loopholes 
you can drive a truck through."

Savino said she and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, the 
bill's Assembly sponsor, both "reject" the idea of an outright ban on 
smoking. Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, has 
also expressed concern about allowing smoking; a separate bill would 
allow only oil-based marijuana extracts

for medicinal purposes.

The governor's people insist that smoking is completely off the 
table," Savino said. "We reject that. Let me tell you why, and we've 
spoken in the past, we think we've done everything possible to 
mitigate the issue of smoking. But health care professionals who 
prescribe medical marijuana and patient advocates will be first to 
tell you that for some patients smoking is the only method that will 
provide the relief that they need."

The state's legislative session is scheduled to end Thursday, when 
lawmakers are slated to return to their districts for the year.

Cuomo said he would agree to a bill only if it satisfies the concerns 
of State Police and the Department of Health.

"There are concerns and if we can address the concerns, then there 
will be a bill," Cuomo said. "But I'm not going to be part of a 
system that will wreak havoc."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom