New York doctors can now recommend medical marijuana to any patient who may benefit from it

By Maureen Meehan

The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) on Monday announced the launch of a new medical cannabis certification and registration system that will not only be much easier to use, but will expand the eligibility criteria for patients treated by medical cannabis can benefit.

The program, the first of its kind nationwide, will allow a patient to be certified by a practitioner for any condition that the practitioner believes can be treated with medicinal cannabis, local CBS news outlet WRBG Albany reported. A precedent can be found in Argentina’s REPROCANN program.

This doctor’s discretion in certifying patients was essentially granted with the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), which legalized cannabis last March.

The new certification and registration system brings the system under the full control of the state OCM and continues work to expand the program in line with the MRTA.

“It’s great to see the medical cannabis program expanding so much with the launch of the new certification and registration program and the ability for practitioners to determine the qualification requirements contained in the MRTA,” said Tremaine Wright, CEO of Cannabis Control .

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“The new cannabis industry is taking shape as we continue to implement the MRTA and provide New Yorkers with greater access to a drug we are learning more about every day. We continue to make rapid progress and today’s system launch follows our achievements, which already include the sale of whole flower medicinal products, the permanent waiver of $50 patient fees, and the advancement of home growing regulations.”

OCM executive director Chris Alexander added that the new patient certification and registration system are significant advances for the New York program.

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“We will continue to implement the MRTA and ensure that all New Yorkers who can benefit from medical cannabis have the access they need,” Alexander said. “It’s important for New Yorkers to know that even as we move the medical program to the OCM, your access will not be disrupted and the program will continue to grow.”

All current caregivers will have new registration badges printed with the patient’s name to better identify which patient(s) they are authorized to assist.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.