Marijuana is Medicine: Protecting Patients in the Push for Cannabis Legalization

NYU CannaPolicy and NYU CannaHealth invite you to a thoughtful discussion of policy avenues for reforming New York State’s Medical Marijuana Program. We will be joined by Sharron Cannon, cannabis advocate and aficionado whose fight for cannabis justice started over 25 years ago. Her advocacy spans from combating inequities against medical marijuana patients, mothers, autistic children, and HIV/AIDS patients alike, to leading comprehensive strategies for Curaleaf, one of the ten medical cannabis providers licensed to operate in New York State, and the largest cannabis company in the world.

For many New Yorkers, cannabis provides relief from chronic pain and helps treat serious illnesses. However, the current medical marijuana program is far from effective, both unaffordable and overly restrictive in terms of who is eligible for treatment and what treatments can be prescribed. With a new recreational cannabis market on the horizon, we expect policymakers to dedicate even fewer resources and less attention to reforming the medical cannabis program to better serve its patients and the public health needs of New York State residents. With this event, we will explore these issues and highlight what we as community members can do to advocate for reform.