New York State is considering legislation to allow the medical use of marijuana under a health care practitioner's care, for patients with cancer and other severe debilitating or life-threatening conditions.

Assembly bill A.6357 (Gottfried)/S.4406 (Savino) would set up a tightly regulated and controlled medical marijuana system. Practitioners licensed to prescribe controlled substances could certify patient need, and certified patients would register with the Health Department. Both the certification process and dispensing of medical marijuana would be included in the I-STOP prescription monitoring system for controlled substances enacted in 2012.

The Health Department would license and regulate "registered organizations" to produce and dispense medical marijuana for certified patients. They could be hospitals, pharmacies, or other for-profit businesses or not-for-profit corporations, and would be required to comply with detailed "seed to sale" security controls and regulations. A clinical advisory committee made up predominately of health care professionals would advise the NYS Commissioner of Health on clinical matters.

Testimony at this hearing is by invitation only. Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible, but no later than Monday, December 2nd. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Hon. Richard N. Gottfried
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Health

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Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on Medical Marijuana Legislation are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible, but no later than Monday, December 2nd, and mail, email or fax it to: