cannabisnews.com: NY Assembly Passes Medical Marijuana Bill NY Assembly Passes Medical Marijuana Bill Posted by CN Staff on June 18, 2008 at 12:55:45 PT Editorial Source: Hudson Valley Press Albany, NY -- The New York Assembly passed a bill today that would protect New Yorkers with life threatening or debilitating conditions from arrest for using medical marijuana when their doctors believe it would be the best treatment option, 79-48. The bill is similar to the medical marijuana bill the Assembly passed last year. The version passed today was modified to address concerns voiced by members of the Senate, who have until June 23 to pass the bill before the legislature recesses. "Every day that goes by without this sensible, compassionate law is a day in which our most vulnerable citizens must choose between suffering debilitating pain or risking arrest in order to find relief," said bill sponsor and Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried. "These patients don't have the luxury of waiting another year for their elected representatives to act – they need the Senate to stand up for them now." Dr. Kevin Smith, a Saugerties psychiatrist who has been recognized by the state legislature for his work with police forensics, said the bill would change the lives of people like him who have no better pain relief options. "Unless you or a loved one has experienced it, it's difficult to understand the frustration and helplessness that comes from knowing that relief is readily available but forbidden by law," said Smith, who suffers from a painful genetic defect that causes his immune system to attack his spine and hips as though they were foreign bodies; the debilitating pain forced him to quit practicing medicine. "Medical marijuana can give me my life back, but right now I am barred by law from using it. This is crazy." Glenn Amandola, a medically retired New York City police officer from Northport who suffers from chronic pain and a seizure disorder after being injured on the job in 1987, said it makes no sense for the law to prevent him from using medical marijuana when his doctor says it could help. "As an officer with the New York City Police Department, I swore to uphold state law, and I'll never break that oath," he said. "The flip side to that, however, is that our lawmakers owe it to people like me who live in constant pain to make sure the law doesn't penalize us for seeking relief. I should have the right to decide for myself – with my doctor – what my best treatment options are."Source: Hudson Valley Press, The (NY)Published: June 18th, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Hudson Valley PressContact: editor hvpress.netWebsite: http://www.hvpress.net/Related Article:Patients To Push for Medical Marijuana Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23980.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 19, 2008 at 20:51:47 PT I Love New York New York is a very big state like Texas and California with lots of voters, and lots of political clout. Speaking of Texas, I bet it wouldn't take an awful lot to get a marijuana bill through the state legislature next year. Any organizations out there want to focus on Texas and make it a goal? I'm telling you, the people in Texas are ready. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by The GCW on June 19, 2008 at 05:46:42 PT Propaganda News The video mentioned (I think) there's a 400+% increase of kids going to the ER...1. that's for paranoiria(sp?)... that wouldn't exist If there wasn't the reality setting in that they could be caged for using the God-given plant and that reality is further COMPOUNDED with the realization that the plant isn't even as bad as alcohol, which shocks the mind because they then realize they have been systematically lied to by people in positions of trust. THAT CAUSES BIG HEAD TRIPS.2. They said (I think) that there's a 400+% increase of KIDS going to the ER...Kids? Kids shouldn't be using the relatively safe God-given plant; Kids shouldn't be drinking alcohol or having boom boom either.What about adults? Why isn't there a 400+$ increase in ER visits for adults using cannabis?-0-The video displayed signage indicating it was "Medical News"Shouldn't that signage have read: PROPAGANDA NEWS?-0-Inteligent life on earth knows cannabis isn't nearly as bad as government prohibitionists say.When government prohibitionists speak, they're counting on dumb, stupid and ignorant + selfish people listening. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 18, 2008 at 19:07:49 PT konagold What a video. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by konagold on June 18, 2008 at 18:38:36 PT: bs on cnn http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/06/18/cohen.potent.pot.cnn http://www.thereligionofjesuschurch.org [ Post Comment ] Post Comment