The State of New York will begin its medical marijuana program on January 7th to serve patients with cancer, AIDS and other qualifying conditions.
The program is off to a slow start though, with only 150 physicians completing the required registration and only eight out of 20 dispensaries are expected to open. The eight dispensaries are cut in half with four in New York City and four for the suburbs. The other twelve dispensaries, which are expected to operate by month’s end, will be scattered upstate.
Julie Netherland, deputy state director of the Drug Policy Alliance, expressed her concerns for supply and demand issues with limited dispensaries and the availability of medical marijuana for immobile patients.
All these hiccups are just the state’s cautious approach so that marijuana would not be diverted for recreational use. State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker ensures pharmaceutical-grade supply for the patients and aims to establish strict regulations to protect public health and safety.