New York State is set to legalize medical marijuana in non-smokeable forms for patients with certain illnesses. Governor Andrew Cuomo and members of the state Senate and Assembly announced on Thursday that an agreement would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients of diseases including cancer, AIDS, and epilepsy. However, patients will not be allowed to smoke the drug. The agreement between legislation and the governor was reached on the last day schedule of the state’s 2014 legislative session. The bill is expected to be officially approved today. The state’s goal is for the medical-marijuana program to be up and running within 18 months. The current agreement includes a clause which would allow the governor to suspend the program based on advice by either his health or police commissioner. The drug will be taxed at 7 percent of gross sales. The marijuana used in the program would be grown in New York at five state-approved sites. The agreement would not allow patients to smoke marijuana, but instead the drug would use other forms including vaporization and oil-based cannabis extracts.
