The Department of Health announced on Thursday that the state of New York will allow ointments, lozenges, as well as chewable tablets as part of its medical marijuana program. The Department also announced that the training program for doctors will be slashed in half.
The new rules will take effect as soon as late September and will allow certified patients lotions, ointments, chewables, lozenges, and patches.
The medical marijuana program in the state only allows non-smokable forms of marijuana.
New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a statement, “These regulations will continue to improve the program in several ways, including making new forms of medical marijuana available and improving the dispensing facility experience.”
As part of the new regulations, doctors are to take a two-hour course before becoming a registered provider of medical marijuana. Previously the course was four-hours long.
As of Tuesday, New York has 1,155 registered practitioners for 26,561 patients certified in the marijuana program.
