Yesterday New York State’s Assembly Codes Committee, by a vote of 16 to 6, approved Assembly Bill 6357 which would legalize the use, possession and purchase of medical cannabis by qualified patients. The measure pa ssed its initial committee, the Assembly Health Committee, by a 21-4 vote last month.

The legislation, which has an impressive list of over 60 cosponsors, now moves to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, where its passage would put it up for consideration by the full Assembly. If it passes, which it’s expected to do, it’ll go to the Senate – according to the bill’s sponsor, there’s enough support in the Senate to get it passed. The governor isn’t in support, but has an “open mind“.

Under the proposal, patients and their caregivers would be legally authorized, if they get an authorization from a physician, to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis. Patients would obtain their medicine through state-licensed dispensaries.

This legislation would make New York the 20th state to legalize some form of medical marijuana.

– TheJointBlog