While the Senate can meet consensus on naming the wood frog the official New York State amphibian, some ignore the science behind medical marijuana as they delay passage of the Compassionate Care Act that would bring relief and treatment to many in the state. The writer's 3-year-old son suffers seizures from Dravet Syndrome.

This week, the Senate approved a bill making the wood frog the official New York State amphibian. Republican Sen. John DeFrancisco introduced the bill earlier this year at the behest of a class of fourth-graders in his Syracuse-area district.

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