Bill Signed to Allow Medical Marijuana for PTSD in New York
Hudson Valley residents suffering from PTSD can now get medical marijuana.
On Veteran’s Day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed five pieces of legislation to help New York veterans.
"Our veterans risked their lives in order to defend the ideals and principles that this nation was founded upon and it is our duty to do everything we can to support them when they return home,” Governor Cuomo said.
The first bill adds Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, as the 12th condition that makes New Yorkers eligible to access the state’s medical marijuana program.
According to the governor’s office, around 19,000 patients with PTSD in New York could benefit from the use of medical marijuana. This includes military veterans, police officers and fire fighters, as well as survivors of domestic violence, rape, violent crime, and accidents. Virtually every state in the country with a medical marijuana program allows for treatment of PTSD.
PTSD is a serious condition that involves a person developing symptoms after experiencing traumatic stress, including anger, flashbacks, nightmares, night sweats, numbing, insomnia and avoidance, officials say.
Other bills signed on Veteran’s Day include:
• Providing combat veterans employed by the State with additional days of paid leave to obtain health services, counseling and access to other benefits;
• Waiving the civil service examination fee for veterans who were honorably discharged;
• Requiring the Department of State and Division of Military and Naval Affairs to maintain a public list of all not-for-profit corporations that solicit funds for the armed forces of the United States; and
• Directing the Office of General Services to set aside a publicly accessible location within the State Capitol building for a POW/MIA chair and plaque to honor those veterans who have not yet returned home.
“From improving access to healthcare treatments and services, to removing barriers to employment, all five of these bills take important steps to ensure that veterans have every opportunity to continue succeeding when they return home,” Governor Cuomo said.
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