Emergency medical marijuana bill heads to NY gov.

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ALBANY, N.Y. — A bill that would expedite access to medical marijuana for severely ill patients in New York will head to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk.

The Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation Monday night that would create a "special certification" for patients with a "progressive and degenerative" disease or whose life or health is at risk without the drug. Those patients would be allowed access to medical marijuana before the state's program officially launches in January.

The bill would allow the state Department of Health to suspend certain requirements, allowing it to immediately award a license to grow and distribute the drug, which critics have said may open the state up to a lawsuit.

Parents of children with rare forms of epilepsy had urged lawmakers to support the legislation, traveling repeatedly to the state Capitol to push for its passage.

"This will help a select group of patients that may not...

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URL: 
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/06/15/emergency-medical-marijuana-bill/28790103/