The Medical Marijuana Program now offers home delivery and nurse practitioners are now authorized to certify patients for the program.
The New York State Department of Health says allowing nurses to prescribe controlled substances, including opioids, will help more patients suffering from severe, debilitating or life threatening conditions.
Allowing for home delivery will help patients with serious health conditions who are unable to leave their homes and have difficulty accessing marijuana products, according to the DOH.
The DOH made the announcement Tuesday, in addition to expanding the financial hardship waiver for patients and caregivers who apply for registration and making the state's data management system fore user friendly.
The DOH said these new regulations are based on a statewide needs assessment.
"New York's Medical Marijuana Program has rapidly progressed, certifying more than 7,000 patients across the state and registering more than 675 physicians in just the first seven months," said Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zuker. "Since launching the program, the Department has worked closely with doctors, patients and registered organizations to gather information relevant to strengthening the program in anticipation of the required two-year report. We are constantly evaluating the program to make it more effective for patients and practitioners, and we believe that the implementation of these recommendations will do just that."
