Docs & others can dole out pot as they please
ALBANY — Doctors in New York can now prescribe pot for any ailment they see fit.
The state Office of Cannabis Management launched a new certification and registration system for New York’s medical marijuana program Monday, expanding patient access and eligibility.
While recreational cannabis is still at least a year away, any doctor or other eligible health professionals, such as dentists and nurse practitioners, now can use their discretion when determining if marijuana would benefit a patient.
Previously, medical marijuana was restricted to patients with a select list of health conditions, such as cancer or epilepsy.
“Launching the new patient certification and registration system and expanding eligibility for the Medical Cannabis Program are significant steps forward for our program,” Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said in a statement.
Last year, the state law legalizing recreational marijuana also included significant overhauls to New York’s restrictive medical program, which started in 2016.
Among the changes already implemented in recent months include the sale of whole flower medical cannabis and the addition of dentists, podiatrists and midwives to the list of eligible clinical providers able to certify patients.
The state also increased the amount of approved medical cannabis dispensed to a certified patient or designated caregiver from a 30-day supply to a 60-day supply. It permanently waived the patient and caregiver’s $50 registration fee.
The latest change also marks the complete transition of the state’s medical pot program from the purview of the Health Department to the Office of Cannabis Management.
Officials said the new system will still honor and recognize previously issued cards if they haven’t expired.
“It’s important for New Yorkers to know that even as we shift the medical program to the [Office of Cannabis Management], your access will not be disrupted and the program will continue to expand,” Alexander said.
The medical expansion comes a week after Gov. Hochul projected, in her budget proposal, how recreational weed will benefit the state in the coming years.
According to the Hochul administration, New York could generate more than $1.25 billion in marijuana tax revenue over the next six years.
Under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, local municipalities were allowed to opt out of permitting adult-use marijuana dispensaries or onsite consumption lounges.
According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, roughly half of all municipalities in the state chose to opt out of sales and even more shot down allowing onsite consumption.
Retail sales and consumption shops are not expected to begin operating in the state until next year as the licensing process gets underway.
“The new cannabis industry is taking shape as we continue to implement the [Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act] and provide greater access for New Yorkers to a medicine that we’re learning more about every day,” said Cannabis Control Board Chairwoman Tremaine Wright.