Gov. Cuomo poised to legalize medical marijuana

Joseph Spector

Albany Bureau Chief

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo will announce plans to legalize medical mari­juana through an executive order, ac­cording to a published report Saturday.

Cuomo is expected to legalize medical marijuana on a limited basis at 20 hospi­tals for specific conditions, the New York Times reported Saturday evening. Cuomo will make the announcement dur­ing his State of the State address on Wednesday, the newspaper said, citing unnamed state officials.

The move would be a shift for Cuomo, who is up for re-election in November. As recently as April, he voiced opposi­tion to the idea, questioning whether it could be properly regulated. But he also has said that he would keep an open mind on the issue, saying it is an “evolving one.”

“I do not support medical marijuana. I understand the pros and cons. I under­stand the argument,” the Democratic governor told reporters then. “We are looking at it, but at this point, I don’t sup­port medical marijuana.”

Twenty states have legalized medical marijuana, and Colorado on Wednesday began allowing recreational marijuana use.

There was no immediate comment from Cuomo’s office on the report.

The legalization of medical marijuana has repeatedly passed the Democratic­led Assembly, but has failed in the Re­publican- controlled Senate.

Sen. Diane Savino, a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, said last year that she believed there would be enough votes to pass the bill in the Senate. The IDC shares power with the Republicans in the Senate.

Savino, D-Staten Island, said Satur­day she was aware that Cuomo was ex­pected to take a pro-medical marijuana stance in his address. She hailed his change in position.

“I think under his leadership, we can probably have the best, most-regulated, tightest-controlled system in the nation that provides real help for patients,” she said.

The Times reported Cuomo is expect­ed to use a provision in the public health law that allows the state health commis­sioner to approve controlled substances for patients with certain diseases.

The Times said that marijuana would be allowed to be given to patients with such diseases as cancer and glaucoma. The Health Department would develop the regulations.

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