Last year, the New York Assembly voted to pass legislation that would make it legal to use marijuana medicinally under a doctor’s care. The Senate Majority Leader, Joe Bruno, quickly killed the bill. On Wednesday, The New York Assembly voted again, 89-52, to pass Assemblyman Richard Gottfried’s (revised) medical marijuana bill, A.4867B.

Similar to the laws in effect in the other 12 medical marijuana states, this bill allows registered patients to grow plants for their own medicinal use. As soon as the Federal government gives the state permission, it will start regulating distribution. A.4867B is more strict in that it will apply strictly to patients with life-threatening or debilitating conditions, who’s doctors believe marijuana would be the most effective treatment.

Monday, June 23rd, is the day the Senate will adjourn, and New York state needs you to help convince the Senate, and Joe Bruno, to pass this legislation. First, call Joe Bruno. Urge him to bring the bill to a vote. After that, call your senator, whether you already have or not, and have them commit to asking Joe Bruno to bring the bill for a vote.

With nearly the entire state medical community and 76% of voters supporting medical marijuana, there is no good reason for them not to take up the bill! Many senators, including Joe Bruno, have expressed their support for medical marijuana; it’s up to you now to make them take action on their words.

The Marijuana Policy Project recently began airing television ads in New York in favor of pending medical cannabis legislation. In the commercial, Burton Aldrich, a quadriplegic man from Kingston, explains how medical marijuana helps with his excruciating pain and spasms by saying, “I … don’t know if I would be around if it wasn’t for marijuana.”

Being a New Yorker, this hits very close to home. This man doesn’t live even an hour away from me. I really, truly hope that legislation passes and New York becomes the 13th Medical Marijuana state, not only for my own sake, but for everyone in New York suffering like Mr. Aldrich.

If you’re from New York, I urge you to please visit NYPatients.org and contact your legislator. All you have to do is fill your information into the form – The letter is pre-written for you. It can’t get any easier than that! You can also learn more about this issue by going to NYCompassionateCare.org.

A 56-year-old man in Washington, suffering from Hepatitis C, died Thursday because he couldn’t get a liver transplant. The University of Washington Medical Center denied the man, Timothy Garon, potentially life-saving surgery based on the fact that he uses medical marijuana under his doctor’s supervision (and in accordance with state law.)

UWMC said it would reconsider its denial if Garon enrolled in a 60-day drug treatment program; when Garon tried again to change their minds, UWMC upheld it’s prior decision. The problem is, he didn’t make it that long.

Garon used marijuana to treat his Hepatitis C-related nausea, abdominal pain, and lack of appetite. According to Dr. Robert Sade, director of the Institute of Human Values in Health Care at the Medical University of South Carolina, “Marijuana, unlike alcohol, has no direct effect on the liver,” and Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, “There are no pharmacological or physiological reasons why Tim Garon, or any medical marijuana patient, should logically be denied access to life-saving or life-enhancing organ transplants.” So why was this man denied?

Individual hospitals have the authority to create their own criteria for transplant eligibility; there is no national or statewide standard.

After hearing of the committee’s decision, Garon said, “I’m not angry, I’m not mad, I’m just confused.” Well, me too. If it is legal for him to smoke medicinal marijuana in the state of Washington, then the hospital should not have the authority to deny him surgery that could save his life based solely on that fact, especially with scientific evidence saying that it’s okay!

Lennon Garon, Timothy’s son, is also concerned about the future. “He’s not the first person that this happened to. He’s not going to be the last person until these policies are changed.”

I think it’s absolutely disgusting that they’d sacrifice Timothy Garon on the ‘altar of pot prohibition’ rather than treating him like they would any other suffering person! He’s a human being first and a pot smoker last (AND. ITS. LEGAL!) – People need to think about these things before they make such rash decisions!

You can read more about this case here, here, and here, and contact NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre at (202) 483-5500.