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NY Medical Marijuana Program: 551 Patients Certified

A medical marijuana dispensary in Plattsburgh, NY
Pat Bradley/WAMC

Some 551 New Yorkers have been certified to obtain medical marijuana, nearly one month after the state's program began. WAMC’s Dave Lucas reports more than 330 physicians have registered with the state, a requirement for doctors who want to be able to authorize the drug for patients.

The figures come from the state's Department of Health in response to questions posed by The Associated Press.

To receive marijuana, patients with certain qualifying conditions must get a certification from a physician registered with the state's program. The patient must then apply for a state registry card.

The medication is available only in non-smokable form and can be obtained from a state-regulated dispensary.

More than 20 states now have medical marijuana programs.

© 2016 AP

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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