New York drew one step closer to legalizing medical marijuana when the State Assembly passed the Compassionate Care Act by a 91-34 margin on May 27. Now, supporters, including the Marijuana Policy Project, are pushing for the Senate to vote on the bill.
In two ads produced by the MPP, family members of patients urge both the Senate and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to not let this opportunity to enact marijuana legislation go by. In one, Dr. Richard Carlton from Port Washington, whose wife Joan suffers from Parkinson's, states: "Gov. Cuomo, patients have waited long enough for relief. Please support the Compassionate Care Act."
In another, Missy Miller from Atlantic Beach, whose son Oliver has a brain stem injury that causes seizures, directs her plea to Senate Majority co-leader Dean Skelos (the Senate is Republican): "Please don't make us wait another year. Allow a vote on the Compassionate Care Act."
The Miller spot with air in Skelos' District 9 in Nassau County on Long Island on News 12, CNN, Lifetime and the Oprah Winfrey Network. The Carlton spot will appear on the same networks in Westchester Country, as well as on The Today Show and Ellen. Both will run for two weeks.
The Senate bill (sponsored by Diane Savino) is more limited in scope than the Assembly version (sponsored by Richard Gottffied). Last week, the Senate Heath Committee voted 9-8 in favor.
