Last Friday, after days of intense negotiation and more than a decade of advocacy, the Assembly and Senate voted to approve a limited medical marijuana program. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already agreed to sign this bill, which includes several revisions he insisted upon. Finally, New York will be the 23rd state with an effective medical marijuana law.
Click here for a summary of the Compassionate Care Act.
Access to medical marijuana literally means the difference between life and death for many seriously…
The New York Legislature adjourned its regular session early Saturday morning without passing two important marijuana policy reform bills. Both bills passed the Assembly, but ultimately stalled in the Senate: a bill legalizing medical marijuana for seriously ill patients and a bill that would have fixed the "public view" loophole in New York's decriminalization law.
Although the Senate failed to take up the medical marijuana bill once again, there is still reason for hope. Over 600 New York physicians…
UPDATE: Katz wrote this article Thursday explaining his voting history and personal feelings about medical marijuana.
On Wednesday, in an unofficial 80-59 vote, the New York Assembly passed legislation to reduce the penalty for publicly holding a small amount of marijuana. Only one Republican assembly member voted in favor of the bill: Steve Katz.
[caption id="attachment_6508" align="alignright" width="158"] Assemblyman Steve Katz[/caption]
Originally a staunch prohibitionist, Katz voted against…
[caption id="attachment_6498" align="alignright" width="139"] Sen. Tick Segerblom[/caption]
Yesterday, the Nevada Senate passed SB 374, which would allow and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries and growers in the state. Sponsored by Sen. Tick Segerblom, the bill received a 17-4 vote — well above the 2/3 votes needed to advance the bill to the Assembly. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn by early Tuesday morning, so time is running short.
Despite the constitutional rights established in Article…
