NYS to allow wholesaling of medical marijuana products

One week after announcing people suffering from chronic pain would be eligible for medical marijuana, The New York State Department of Health is easing more restrictions on the use of the drug.

Enhancements to the state's medical marijuana program include allowing wholesaling of medical marijuana products, lifting the cap on the number of products available to patients, and allowing hospitals to create their own procedures permitting patients to self-administer certain medications.

The health department is now working with organizations licensed to manufacture and dispense the drug on wholesaling their products to other registered organizations. The move is aimed at making more varieties of products available at dispensaries in the state.

The state has also added chronic pain as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana usage. The health department has filed a proposed regulatory amendment defining chronic pain as "any severe debilitating pain that the practitioner determines degrades health and functional capability; where the patient has contraindications, has experienced intolerable side effects, or has experienced failure of one or more previously tried therapeutic options; and where there is documented medical evidence of such pain having lasted three months or more beyond onset."

Last week, the health department also authorized nurse practitioners to certify patients for medical marijuana usage.