By Geoff Brown, Pharm D.
Cannabis is legal, and many are wondering what this means. NYS licensed cannabis dispensaries are not yet legally allowed to sell cannabis for recreational purposes. Even though cannabis is legal, and you can possess and consume it, there is no legal way to obtain it. However, the State’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will soon begin to accept applications for cannabis dispensary licenses and hopes to have stores up and running later this year.
For those who qualify, patients can obtain legal medical cannabis products from one of Buffalo’s three medical dispensaries upon receiving a prescription from a certified medical provider. While previously, patients could only receive a cannabis prescription for certain conditions, certified health practitioners can now prescribe cannabis for any condition within their scope of practice. Additionally, regulations that allow medical patients to grow cannabis at home have passed a 60-day comment period, and are currently awaiting amendments or being signed into law.
Many shops are now “gifting” cannabis products with another store purchase, such as a sticker or t-shirt, allowing their clients to redeem $50 worth of cannabis for the purchase of a $50 sticker. These stores began operating in a legal gray area, and continue to do so, despite having received a letter of warning from the OCM advising that they will not receive their licenses to sell in the future. Thus, while they may provide you with easy access to recreational cannabis, it is important to know that these products are unregulated and essentially the same as purchasing them from a stranger.
With all these changes, you may have many questions about cannabis, the law, and how legal cannabis may impact your health or your community. The OCM recently launched a program called “Cannabis Conversations.” The program provides New York residents with information on health and safety, and the opportunities associated with the new cannabis industry. You have likely seen infomercials on TV or billboards promoting the campaign.
It’s important to keep in mind that, although cannabis is now legal, it does not mean that cannabis is completely safe. Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis are associated with significant health risks despite their legality. However, from a public health standpoint, our lawmakers believe that it makes more sense to provide cannabis consumers with regulated products, rather than having people obtain the drug through illicit means. Remember, cannabis is an addictive substance, and therefore susceptible to misuse and abuse. Nine percent of adults and 17 percent of adolescents that use cannabis will become addicted. While cannabis addiction may not produce the severe reactions of drugs like opioids, it is still problematic. Cannabis withdrawal resembles nicotine withdrawal, making it extremely difficult for an individual to quit or reduce its use.
The regulated market for cannabis will provide consumers with safer products, an opportunity to reverse harms done by the war on drugs, and significant tax revenue for New York state. Learn more at https://cannabis.ny.gov/cannabis-conversations.
Geoff Brown is a pharmacist, founder, and publisher of CannaBuff magazine. Learn more at www.CannaBuff.com.
