Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced the Assembly passed legislation he sponsored that would expedite the availability of medical marijuana for patients with progressive, degenerative or life-threatening conditions in an effort to relieve the suffering of the critically ill before the official rollout of the Compassionate Care Act program early next year (A.7060).

“All across New York State, patients are waiting for the relief promised by the Compassionate Care Act – but unfortunately, there are some who simply can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Thiele. “Limited emergency access to medical marijuana will help those who need it most.”

Last July, the passage of the Compassionate Care Act made it legal for certain patients suffering from intense, chronic or debilitating pain to receive a prescription for medical marijuana from a licensed practitioner (Ch. 90 of 2014). However, the program is not expected to be fully implemented until at least January 2016. The Assembly’s legislation would create a special certification to allow earlier access to medical marijuana for patients with life-threatening conditions.

“Research shows that medical marijuana can safely and effectively relieve symptoms associated with many of the most debilitating illnesses, including epilepsy, cancer and HIV/AIDS,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “Expediting access to a treatment that could help ease the pain or save the life of a friend or family member is the right thing to do.”