Julie Netherland Archives

New York’s Department of Health has announced that the state’s medical cannabis program will be officially underway starting this Thursday, with the opening of multiple dispensaries throughout the state.

“New York State’s Medical Marijuana Program is scheduled to launch on January 7, 2016 — just 18 months after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act”, Department of Health spokesman James Pastiras said in a Tuesday press release.

Dispensaries planning to be open this Thursday include Columbia Care in Manhattan, PharmaCann in Amherst and a dispensary ran by Bloomfield Industries will open in Williamsville.

After months of pressure from medical cannabis advocates and public health officials, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a medical cannabis emergency access bill today that will expedite access to medical cannabis for critically ill patients.

Earlier this year New York’s full legislature gave approval to Assembly Bill 7060 and Senate Bill 5086, which directs the state to establish a program to help critically ill patients obtain emergency access to medical cannabis as soon as logistically possible. The bill was delivered to Governor Cuomo on October 30th, and he had signed on it the last possible day for him to do so.

New York’s First Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Opening Thursday

New York Governor Signs Medical Cannabis Emergency Access Bill