The most effective state medical cannabis laws are those that allow growing and selling. Otherwise, patients are still exposing themselves to the risks inherint in illegal marketplaces, as are those who help them. The pot just can't magically appear! Some laws only protect patients from arrest, or allow them to use a medical defense in court. Protecting providers, caregivers, and allowing people to grow it themselves is ideal.

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED TO HELP REGULATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN NY. Another session of the legislature has ended with the Assembly passing NYCC's bill, BUT it died in the Senate. Now, we will have a new Senate Majority Leader...stay tuned for more information regarding this as we get it. Thanks for your continued support!   Check out this video featuring a NY patient in need of safe access to medical cannabis.

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Mission Statement:

New York NORML is the state chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.  NY NORML is dedicated to uniting the millions of New York supporters of marijuana law reform.   NY NORML seeks to end the prohibition of marijuana (cannabis, hemp) through education, public advocacy and direct government involvement. 

Our short-term goals:

Why Support Marijuana Reform? 

In short, marijuana prohibition is based upon archaic myths and untruths, and should no longer be tolerated.  Modern scientific evidence reveals what many, who have tried marijuana, already realize-  that marijuana is not only much safer than alcohol and tobacco, but that it possesses immense medicinal value.  Despite the fact that marijuana has proven greatly beneficial in the treatment of many illnesses and conditions, the sick and dying are denied access to what, in many cases, is the best or only medicine known.  Additionally, despite the stigma that marijuana use is a fringe activity, almost one out of every two Americans is estimated to have tried marijuana.  Its use, therefore, is extremely normal.  Due to its prevalence in American society, it is neither democratically appropriate nor equitable to continue to criminally punish marijuana usage when almost half of the population has engaged in its use.  In fact, if everyone who has tried marijuana was arrested, prosecuted and jailed, pursuant to our outdated marijuana laws, over 100 million Americans would be in prison.   Although the rest of the world is quickly moving towards a rational decriminalization policy on marijuana, in this country, marijuana prohibition continues to needlessly and unfairly destroy the lives and careers of countless good, hardworking, productive and responsible American citizens.  More than 700,000 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges last year alone and more than 5 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses in the past decade.  This is a misapplication of the criminal sanction and wastes valuable law enforcement resources which should be focused on violent crime and terrorism.  Marijuana use can and should be further decriminalized and regulated in the same manner as tobacco and alcohol.    

What can I do to help?   Simple.  Join NY NORML and our message will grow. As a cohesive unit, we can ensure that our outdated marijuana laws are changed.  You will get the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to unite millions of New York residents who share your views.  As a member, you can be as active as you desire; from simply enjoying our online updates, to attending our social events and fundraisers where like minded individuals gather, to lending a hand in grass roots educational efforts, to writing letters to elected officials and news papers.  Join us and help to bring sense to New York's marijuana legislation. 

Why is Marijuana Illegal?

In 1937 the U.S. government outlawed a plant, Cannabis hemp (or today's more commonly known name, marijuana). Hemp is the oldest cultivated crop known to man. Every civilization with a written history has praised its uses. It is arguably the earths premier renewable natural resource, with uses as far ranging as: fuel, fiber, food, medicine, paper, construction materials, cement, dynamite, plastics, etc (the list goes on & on). Today many of the natural products provided by hemp have been replaced by dirty, expensive, petrochemical based products.

The government claims this prohibition is in the name of public health and safety; to keep U.S. citizens from using just the female flower, the part known as marijuana. In 1937 there were 50,000 marijuana users in America. Today, the US government's own statistics say that 20 to 50 million Americans smoke marijuana--thus proving the ineffectiveness of their laws. This prohibition has insured that this plant is never grown by American farmers, except by illegal, tax free growers, and for marijuana only.

Today, there are a growing number of concerned citizens and activists around the country dedicated to bring forth factual education and the logical uses of Cannabis hemp. This movement of people in their actions and their ideals, defy the stereotypes of "reefer madness." To the contrary, this movement is trying to bring forth a culture of self preservation, prosperity, peace, truth and environmental sanity.

"Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes... A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principals upon which our government was founded."
-Abraham Lincoln (December 1840)

"If people let government decide what foods they eat
and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live
under tyranny."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about
things that matter"

--Martin Luther King, Jr.