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New York Officials Announce Deal to Legalize Medical Marijuana

By Gustavo Solis | June 19, 2014 5:08pm
  State lawmakers announced an agreement on a pilot program to legalize medical marijuana on Thursday June 19, 2014.
State lawmakers announced an agreement on a pilot program to legalize medical marijuana on Thursday June 19, 2014.
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NEW YORK — Medical marijuana will soon become legal in New York — but you won't be able to smoke it.

Lawmakers in Albany reached a deal on a pilot program that approves the drug for medicinal use — on condition that it only be ingested through edible form or vaporizers similar to e-cigarettes, state officials announced Thursday evening.

The conditional agreement came after Gov. Andrew Cuomo demanded the no-smoking restriction, The New York Times reported.

Thursday's announcement came days after intense negotiations between the legislature and the governor, the according to the report.

The State Health Department would be responsible for overseeing the pilot program, which would begin with a seven-year cap but could be renewed.

The Health Department would get up to 18 months to come up with regulations including how to administer the pilot program.