Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York has long been known for his hard stance against legalizing marijuana of any kind in New York. This change of position comes a shock to many but digging deeper into his political history, we can see that Gov. Cuomo lead the charge in the legalization of same-sex marriages in New York in 2011. Gov. Cuomo has made major moves in the past few years in the area of social policy in an effort to bolster his popularity with the voting public. Because of Gov. Cuomo, gay marriage is now legal in New York and gun laws in the state are one of the nation’s toughest. Although he has began spearheading abortion rights in his state, that effort has not achieved the success of his other campaigns that have most recently put him in the glowing spotlight of public approval.
Although New York is not going to be competing in the liberal likes of Colorado or California, this shift in legislation allowing those with serious illness have access to medical marijuana is a huge leap for the state of New York where possession and distribution of drugs carry some of the heaviest penalties in the nation. The legislation proposed will allow 20 hospitals in the state to prescribe medical marijuana to patients with cancer, glaucoma, and other diseases that meet the standards set by the New York State Department of Health.
Moves like this are big in cannabis legalization efforts because it gives the public a chance to understand that when all efforts to treat medical illnesses are exhausted, medical marijuana can be used positively. When you have highly populated states such as California and New York setting examples of effective regulation, others will follow in due time. It’s hard to say if Colorado had any affect on Gov. Cuomo’s new plans to offer medical cannabis, but one thing is for sure, he’s not afraid to tackle big issues and go with what he thinks is right. Keep on advocating Gov. Cuomo, we’re all behind you
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