Pubdate: Tue, 14 Oct 2014
Source: Record, The (Troy, NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.troyrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1724
Page: A2

EVENT FOCUSES ON NEW MEDICAL POT LAW

NEW YORK (AP) - New York state lawmakers and advocates of medical 
marijuana gathered in New York City on Sunday to discuss the 
implementation of a new state law authorizing marijuana as a 
treatment for certain medical conditions.

The event drew potential patients, policy makers and hundreds of 
people interested in working in the new medical marijuana industry. 
State lawmakers voted this year to make New York the 23rd state to 
authorize pot for patients with conditions including AIDS, cancer and epilepsy.

But the program isn't likely to be up and running before 2016 as 
regulators work out the details. Drug suppliers and businesses that 
provide ventilation, lighting, security or other services related to 
cultivation attended this weekend's Marijuana Regulatory Summit to 
learn about the new law, said Sen. Diane Savino, a Staten Island Democrat.

"There is tremendous interest in the establishment of the 
Compassionate Care Act," said Savino, the lead advocate for the law 
in the Senate. "They look at this as an emerging industry."

The law will not permit users to smoke the drug. It could be 
administered through a vaporizer or in an oil base. Marijuana could 
be prescribed for 10 diseases.

It requires physicians to register and get a few hours of training to 
prescribe the drug for patients with listed conditions, while 
establishing a new felony for doctors who knowingly give it to 
others. Patients are prohibited from sharing.

The state recently requested federal permission to import out- 
of-state marijuana so children and young adults with epilepsy won't 
have to wait for the state to finalize its regulations.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom