Update on Medical Marijuana and New York State

Medical Marijuana did not pass last year. We thank all the members of NYSAM who wrote to, called or meet with New York State Legislators to advocate our position of opposition to smoked medical marijuana. The Senate race for New York is still undecided but if Republicans take control of the state senate, passage is unlikely. Governor elect Cuomo has also stated his opposition. There has been much in the national news on this subject. MSSNY has modified their position and NYSAM has upcoming CME on Marijuana.

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Assembly Joins Senate in Passing No Fault Legislation / Legislative Updates

We are pleased to report that the Assembly unanimously passed one of the Academy's priorities, the No Fault legislation (A.11116) to require No Fault insurance coverage of emergency services regardless of whether a patient was injured by driving while intoxicated. The Senate had unanimously passed the bill on Friday, June 18th. The bill will now need to be approved by the Governor.

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Report on Lobby Day June 7, 2010, another planned for May 2011

NYSAM has been having annual lobby days which have been quite productive. One is planned for May 10 or 17, 2011. Here is a short report on our 2010 lobby day.

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MSSNY House of Delegates Chooses Not to Reaffirm MSSNY’s Pro Medical Marijuana Position

MSSNY House of Delegates Chooses Not to Reaffirm MSSNY’s Pro Medical Marijuana Position WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010 AT 02:42PM DR. NORMAN WETTERAU Two years ago the Medical Society of the State of New York House of Delegates approved a resolution supporting smoked medical marijuana to relieve nausea and pain in terminally-ill patients when nothing else had worked. MSSNY then went on to support a proposed New York State Assembly bill, even though the bill was much, much broader in its scope. The MSSNY House of Delegates had never considered this bill. Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, Chair of the Committee on Health, had asked for this support from the MSSNY Leadership, and they felt they could provide it.

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The Medical Marijuana Ruse: NYS Legislators Propose You Play Doctor (And Not Be One)

Assemblyman Gottfried, Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, has reintroduced a Medical Marijuana bill. A similar bill last year passed the Assembly but stalled in the Senate. Last year Governor Paterson’s Office indicated it would sign such a bill if it passed. You may read the actual bill. It would permit smoking marijuana for “Serious Conditions,” to be specified not in law but by you the physician. Thus far the bill has been reported favorably out of the Health Committee and is under consideration in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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