Time runs out on New York's medical marijuana bill

On Friday, June 20, the regular session of the New York Assembly closed with medical marijuana bill A. 5796 stuck in the Rules Committee. Nonetheless, MPP considers our lobbying efforts in New York during 2003 a resounding success, and we could not have done it without your help.

During this session—MPP's first in New York state—A. 5796 passed through three committees, all by overwhelming margins. On April 8, A. 5796 passed out of the Assembly Health Committee by a vote of 16-6. On June 11, the Assembly Codes Committee passed the medical marijuana bill by a landslide 13-2 margin. Finally, on June 18, an Assembly Ways and Means Committee vote of 24-8 sent the bill to the Rules Committee.

The Rules Committee, chaired by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-64th Assembly District), failed to move on A. 5796 in the last hours of the legislative session. As a result of this inaction, the medical marijuana bill died. Had this committee passed it, A. 5796 would have become eligible for debate or vote on the Assembly floor.

Additionally this year, medical marijuana legislation received endorsements from the New York State Nurses Association, the New York State Association of County Health Officials, more than 1,100 New York doctors, and the Albany City Council. A similar supportive resolution is pending in the New York City Council.

Every one of you who contacted your legislators this session helped to make these committee victories possible. Thank you for fighting beside us! MPP would like to recognize the tremendous efforts made by our on-the-ground lobbyist Vince Marrone and his group, New Yorkers for Compassionate Care. Many thanks are also owed to lead bill sponsor Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-75th Assembly District)—who has introduced medical marijuana bills since 1997—as well as to the other 30 co-sponsors of A. 5796 and the Assembly members who supported medical marijuana patients with affirmative committee votes. Together, we have made medical marijuana a mainstream political issue in New York, and we look forward to successes in the 2004 legislative session.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message on to others in New York, so that next session even more people can speak out for reform.