The state Department of Health is for the first time releasing a list of doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants willing to make public their participation in the state’s medical marijuana program.
The DOH released on Friday the names, specialties, addresses and phone numbers of the doctors, including eight doctors in the greater Capital Region.
Would-be patients have complained for more than a year that it has been difficult to find participating doctors to certify them because until now only another health care provider could view the practitioner list. The public list is aimed at easing that problem, though only 32 percent of participating practitioners have consented to be on it. Another 60 percent remain on a list available to other doctors only.
DOH also announced Friday that more than 3,300 New Yorkers have joined the rolls of card-carrying medical marijuana users since late March, when the state added chronic pain to its list of conditions qualifying to receive the medicine, bringing the total number to over 18,000.
In addition, there are now 1,000 health providers registered to certify patients for the program.
“We are improving access to medical marijuana for patients in need across New York state,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “As we have said from the very beginning, we will continue to grow this program responsibly and help ease the suffering of those who may benefit from this treatment option.”
