State of New York secondary Archives: on Drugs


Rob Astorino: No medical marijuana; due to pills, process, and quality

Gov. Cuomo announced that NY would embark on a plan to allow up to 20 hospitals to prescribe medical marijuana to patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma, and other serious conditions.

Though Astorino believes "efforts to treat and comfort those suffering from cancer and other diseases are to be encouraged," he reckons Cuomo went about instituting his policy undemocratically. "If the governor is serious about his medical marijuana proposal, it should be debated by state legislators; scrutinized by medical & law enforcement professionals; and discussed by parents and civic leaders."

Astorino also questions the need for medical marijuana in the first place, asking, "Just what problem would the governor's proposal solve since physicians can already prescribe to cancer patients Marinol, a pill form of the active substance in marijuana?" He also questions where the marijuana will come from, how its quality will be controlled, and the policy's impact on anti-drug education in schools.

Source: Westchester Magazine: 2014 New York State gubernatorial race Jan 1, 2014

Kathy Hochul: Allow cannabis cultivation in New York prior to legal sales

S8084: Provides a conditional adult-use cultivator license to process and distribute cannabis flower products without holding an adult-use processor or distributor license.

J&G Law (in favor): This license establishes a "fast-track" path for existing NYS hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to grow adult-use cannabis in the 2022 growing season prior to opening of all adult-use licenses to the public, which likely will not occur until at least late 2022 or early 2023.

Rep. Mike Lawler (in opposition): Between 2019 and 2022 there has been a nearly sixfold increase in calls for marijuana related to children and teens 19 or younger and a ninefold increase among those five or younger. We must tackle the cannabis crisis that is poisoning our youth.

Legislative outcome Passed Senate 50-13-2 on Feb/15/22; Passed Assembly 98-44-8 on Feb/16/22; Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb/22/22.

Source: J&G Law LLP on New York State voting records S8084 Feb 22, 2022

Michael Lawler: Don't allow cannabis cultivation in NY prior to legal sales

S8084: Provides a conditional adult-use cultivator license to process and distribute cannabis flower products without holding an adult-use processor or distributor license.

J&G Law (in favor): This license establishes a "fast-track" path for existing NYS hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to grow adult-use cannabis in the 2022 growing season prior to opening of all adult-use licenses to the public, which likely will not occur until at least late 2022 or early 2023.

Rep. Mike Lawler (in opposition): Between 2019 and 2022 there has been a nearly sixfold increase in calls for marijuana related to children and teens 19 or younger and a ninefold increase among those five or younger. We must tackle the cannabis crisis that is poisoning our youth.

Legislative outcome Passed Senate 50-13-2 on Feb/15/22; Passed Assembly 98-44-8 on Feb/16/22; Rep. Mike Lawler voted NO; Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb/22/22.

Source: Twitter posting on New York State voting records S8084 Aug 7, 2023

Tim Kennedy: Allow cannabis cultivation in New York prior to legal sales

S8084: Provides a conditional adult-use cultivator license to process and distribute cannabis flower products without holding an adult-use processor or distributor license.

J&G Law (in favor): This license establishes a "fast-track" path for existing NYS hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to grow adult-use cannabis in the 2022 growing season prior to opening of all adult-use licenses to the public, which likely will not occur until at least late 2022 or early 2023.

Rep. Mike Lawler (in opposition): Between 2019 and 2022 there has been a nearly sixfold increase in calls for marijuana related to children and teens 19 or younger and a ninefold increase among those five or younger. We must tackle the cannabis crisis that is poisoning our youth.

Legislative outcome Passed Senate 50-13-2 on Feb/15/22; Sen. Tim Kennedy voted YES; Passed Assembly 98-44-8 on Feb/16/22; Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb/22/22.

Source: J&G Law LLP on New York State voting records S8084 Feb 15, 2022

Zohran Mamdani: Allow cannabis cultivation in New York prior to legal sales

S8084: Provides a conditional adult-use cultivator license to process and distribute cannabis flower products without holding an adult-use processor or distributor license.

J&G Law (in favor): This license establishes a "fast-track" path for existing NYS hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to grow adult-use cannabis in the 2022 growing season prior to opening of all adult-use licenses to the public, which likely will not occur until at least late 2022 or early 2023.

Rep. Mike Lawler (in opposition): Between 2019 and 2022 there has been a nearly sixfold increase in calls for marijuana related to children and teens 19 or younger and a ninefold increase among those five or younger. We must tackle the cannabis crisis that is poisoning our youth.

Legislative outcome Passed Senate 50-13-2 on Feb/15/22; Passed Assembly 98-44-8 on Feb/16/22; Rep. Zohran Mamdani voted YES; Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb/22/22.

Source: J&G Law LLP on New York State voting records S8084 Feb 16, 2022

  • The above quotations are from State of New York Politicians: secondary Archives.
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2024 Presidential contenders on Drugs:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 06, 2026