More than a month ago, News 4 began asking the Department of Health when it would have a progress report on the Compassionate Care Act, the state’s medical marijuana program.
It was signed into law July of 2014. According to the law’s text, beginning two years after the Compassionate Care Act was signed, a report is to be sent to the legislature and the governor, detailing how the program is working; what’s going well, what needs adjustments.
We started asking the DOH about that report July 6. Since then, we received very vague responses, or none at all.
The DOH has made public how many doctors and how many patients are registered, but it hasn’t made a list of specific doctors available, nor has it published anything in great detail about the program’s effectiveness, according to public health advocacy groups.
News 4 published a story on the Compassionate Care Act back in June; we spoke to several Western New York families who rely on medicine for their sick kids. They were also concerned with the amount of transparency within the Health Department.
The Drug Policy Alliance, one of those public health advocacy groups, published it’s own report; they interviewed 255 people. 77 percent reported affordability of medicine was a big problem.
Price varies on what type of strain and how much you need. The price is set by the five private companies that run the dispensaries.
But DPA officials told News 4 there’s a larger problem.
“If the state is proud of the program and thinks it’s working, which the governor said a few months ago up in Buffalo, then why are they being so reticent to share information?” asked Julie Netherland of the Drug Policy Alliance.
Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by WIVB4
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