ALBANY – The use of medical marijuana could be expanded if the governor signs a measure approved by the state legislature before adjournment.
Now, medical marijuana may be prescribed to treat chronic pain, but the new legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator George Amedore, would allow it for episodic pain.
“Someone who may have to going through, maybe a torn rotator cuff or a certain type of medical condition, now a doctor could allow the use of medical marijuana to treat that type of pain as an alternative to an opiate that they would typically go and prescribe,” Amedore said.
The measure would also allow medical marijuana to be used as an alternative to suboxone to wean an addicted person from an opiate.
The legislation was sponsored in the Assembly by Democrat Richard Gottfried.
