After many years of efforts by patients, families, physicians, elected officials, and other advocates, New York’s Legislature passed a bill1 permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on July 5, 2014, adding New York to the more than 20 states that have enacted some form of law permitting medical marijuana.
Known as the Compassionate Care Act, the new law is very carefully crafted and appears to address many of the medical, social, economic and law enforcement aspects of the medical marijuana issue. This article will highlight the most significant parts of this complex new law. The substantive provisions are contained in a new Title V-A to Article 33 of the New York Public Health Law (PHL), but it also adds new provisions to the Tax, Finance and Penal Laws.
