Senate Bill S2968

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2968

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to adding autism to
the list of conditions covered for lawful medical use of marihuana

 
PURPOSE OF BILL:

This bill adds autism to the list of conditions for which a doctor may
authorize medical marijuana use.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends public health law section 3360 (7) (a) (i),
as added by chapter 273 of the laws of 2018 to add autism to the list of
severe debilitating or life-threatening conditions.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 68 children in
the U.S. and can be extremely debilitating. Some of the symptoms exhib-
ited by individuals with ASD are high energy levels, anxiety,
aggression, panic disorder, tantrums, inability to focus, depression,
seizures, self-injurious behavior and aggressive behavior.

In the 14 states that allow the use of medical marijuana for any condi-
tion with a doctor's prescription, families and physicians have noted
that the use of medical marihuana has significantly improved these symp-
toms for their children and patients.

Only two medications have been approved in the United States by the Food
and Drug Administration to treat the symptoms of autism. Both are anti-
psychotic drugs that are not always effective and carry serious side
effects.

This bill will provide medical professionals treating individuals with
ASD access to another treatment option, when appropriate. Allowing indi-
viduals with ASD to be treated by their physicians with medical marihua-
na could help to relieve the debilitating symptoms many of them exhibit
and dramatically improve their lives.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-2020: S4163 referred to Health; same as A1616 (Abinanti) Third
Reading;
2018: A9869 referred to Health

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the
amendments to section 3360 of the public health law made by section one
of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be
deemed repealed therewith.