N.Y. Legislature recesses without Senate acting on medical marijuana

Yesterday, the state legislature adjourned without the Senate's Republican majority calling a vote on medical marijuana. The state Assembly passed medical marijuana legislation last June, and again on June 18. But because the Senate did not follow suit, thousands of patients are still suffering.

Please take a moment to see how your Assembly member voted on Assemblyman  Richard Gottfried's medical marijuana bill and "thank" or "spank" him or her. Please remember to be polite and brief, no matter how your Assembly member voted, and to keep the focus on medical marijuana.

Thank you to the hundreds who took the time to call or write your state senators.  Tremendous progress has been made in New York over the last several years. A prestigious coalition of supporters has lined up to support allowing medical marijuana, including organizations representing the state's nurses, doctors, and medical schools and three city councils. Numerous editorial boards have also called for action, with the most recent addition being the Oneonta Daily Star.

And, most importantly, the Assembly has voted twice to allow medical marijuana. The issue has garnered bipartisan support. Seven Republican Assembly members co-sponsored the Assembly bill, and Sen. Joseph Bruno, who was the Senate majority leader until yesterday, said he supports allowing medical marijuana.

A special thank you to the many patients who bravely spoke out in interviews, to their legislators, in TV or newspaper ads, and in testimonials. Thank you to Burton Aldrich, Glenn Amandola, Nicholas Calderon, Bruce Dunn, Barbara Jackson, Fred McLaughlin, Joel Peacock, Dr. Kevin Smith, Chris Taylor, Richard Williams, and Jeannine Zagiel, and the many others who raised your voices. And many thanks to each of you who have donated to this effort to make MPP's robust campaign of polling, grassroots calls, lobbying, and advertising possible. Thank you especially to Vince Marrone, who has done a terrific job lobbying for the bill and building the impressive coalition of support.

The tide is coming. It is only a matter of time before New York patients do not have to choose between obeying the law and relieving their suffering. It is possible, however, that for change to happen in the near future, the Senate Republicans will need to lose their two-seat majority in the November elections. So far, the majority has proven unwilling to call a vote on this compassionate issue.