When Gov. Cuomo signed the bill to to legalize pot use for some medical purposes in New York, he was aware that it would be at least 18 months before the cannabis was available. But now he is saying that 18 months might be too long for children with epilepsy to wait for relief from the cannabinoids.

In his letter to acting Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, asking that the department “accelerate the process” for medical marijuana availability for children who suffer from the disease, Cuomo cited the recent deaths of two epileptic New York children, 9 year-old Anna Conte and 3 year-old Olivia Marie Newton. Since their deaths, family members and advocates for medical marijuana have been pushing the state to speed up the implementation process.

Cuomo’s push comes just days after Buffalo State Senator Mark Grisanti wrote a letter to Cuomo, urging him to consider a faster enactment. Grisanti says if it’s necessary, a special session could be called to help accelerate this process.

SOURCES: nydailynews and buffalo