New York Medical Marijuana Law

Status

Operational

Law Signed:

2014

QUALIFYING CONDITIONS

Acute pain management
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Cancer
Chronic pain
Epilepsy
HIV/AIDS
Huntington’s Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
Parkinson’s Disease
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Multiple Sclerosis
Neuropathies
Opioid substitution
Spinal cord damage
Any other condition that the practitioner believes can be treated with medical cannabis

PATIENT POSSESSION LIMITS

As initially implemented, the law permits qualified patients to possess a 30 day supply of cannabis-infused, non-smokable products. but only non-smokable preparations allowed. Regulations announced by the Department of Health in 2017 state, “[R]egistered organizations will be allowed to manufacture and distribute additional products including topicals such as lotions, ointments and patches, as well as solid and semi-solid products including chewable and effervescent tablets and lozenges. Certain non-smokable forms of ground plant material will also be permissible for manufacture and distribution.” Legislation signed into law in 2021 amended these rules to permit qualified patients to possess a 60-day supply of cannabis and removed the prior prohibitions on smoking.

HOME CULTIVATION

Qualified patients are able to home-cultivate up to six plants (only three mature) per private residence. Plants may be cultivated either indoor or outdoor, but they must be grown in an enclosed space that is not visible to the public. Patients may possess a total of up to five pounds of cannabis from their harvest.

STATE-LICENSED DISPENSARIES

Yes, as initially enacted, five producers of cannabis-based preparations and up to 20 dispensing centers were to be licensed by the state. In 2017, the Department of Health registered five additional entities to manufacture and dispense cannabis-infused products.