drugs

Cuomo Still Not Sold on Medical Marijuana

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 25: Marijuana is seen in a jar at Perennial Holistic Wellness Center medical marijuana dispensary, which opened in 2006, on July 25, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously voted to ban storefront medical marijuana dispensaries and to order them to close or face legal action. The council also voted to instruct staff to draw up a separate ordinance for consideration in about three months that might allow dispensaries that existed before a 2007 moratorium on new dispensaries to continue to operate. It is estimated that Los Angeles has about one thousand such facilities. The ban does not prevent patients or cooperatives of two or three people to grow their own in small amounts. Californians voted to legalize medical cannabis use in 1996, clashing with federal drug laws. The state Supreme Court is expected to consider ruling on whether cities can regulate and ban dispensaries. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images

The governor says he’s open to approving a bill before the state legislative session ends this week, “But I’m not going to be part of a system that’s just going to wreak havoc.” Cuomo explained today that he wants to avoid loopholes “that you can drive a truck through,” and believes allowing patients two and a half ounces a month (up to 200 joints) is just too much. “If it is not done well, it is a public safety and public health disaster … We’re talking about a lot of marijuana being distrubted to indivdiuals.” Approval statewide, meanwhile, spans age, gender, and party.

Cuomo Still Not Sold on Medical Marijuana