The New York State Health Department issued new guidelines earlier this month for the state’s medical marijuana program. As of Oct. 5, staff working at healthcare facilities in the Empire State are protected from unjust incarceration or prosecution for obtaining medical marijuana for their patients, according to the state’s website.
Per section 1004.23, those “designated caregivers, including employees of facilities registered as designated caregivers and acting within their scope of employment, shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensing board or bureau.”
Now considered legal “caregivers” for patients residing in New York’s many hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice facilities, the administration of medicinal cannabis will largely depend on the type of institution and their governing regulations.
Offered as a temporary solution to cultivate the states wilting patient base, according to the Times Union, the emergency regulations would also apply to “adult homes, community mental health residences, mental health facilities and residential treatment facilities for children and youth.”
New York’s newest regulation will be open for a 45-day public comment period before being considered for permanent inclusion. Applicable to New York’s medical marijuana program, smoking is not permitted and edibles are prohibited by the regulations.
A veteran and a board-certified physician, New York marijuana doctors like Dr. O’Brien are “proud to offer discounts to veterans as well as patient referrals and new visitors who mention Weedmaps.”
credit:marijuana.com