Puff, puff, puff

medical marijuana signA bill that would legalize medical marijuana in New York State made it out of another state Senate committee yesterday (Neil Breslin was among the "ayes").

Earlier this week a Siena poll reported that 50 percent of respondents said they "support" legalizing the use of medical marijuana in New York State. In a Q poll of New Yorkers last month, 71 percent of respondents said it was a "good idea" to allow adults to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if their doctor prescribes it.

Thomas Duane, the sponsor of the state Senate version of the bill, told NYDN that medical marijuana is "the right thing to do" -- and the state could generate about $15 million in licensing fees. Medical marijuana is listed as a revenue item in the budget resolution the Senate passed (on a party line vote) this week.

The bill does not propose outright legalization of pot. We did some hazy math last year that suggested doing so could generate something like $230 million for the state in revenue.

Fifteen states currently allow medical marijuana in some form, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

photo: Flickr user Caveman 92223

Comments

Like wow man. The Senate doing something sensible? Far out.

I hear medical marijuana is a gateway drug that may lead some states to start selling wine in grocery stores.

Shouldn't that be "Puff, puff, pass?" - wouldn't want to bogart the medical weed, would you?

I heard grumblings that this bill was basically drafted by the Frito-Lay corporation :)

ya think the country would jump on this and make marijuana a huge export to other countries that tolerate it. think if we could mkae 230 million dollas from our one state then what could we do trading with amsterdam amd other european countries. it was said on cnn if more states pass a bill like this that we could be out of a depression by 2015

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