US (NY): Medical marijuana suppliers sue state

With more than 18,000 New Yorkers now certified to be treated with medical marijuana, the state is seeking to double the number of producers of the drug.

But the New York Medical Cannabis Association, a trade group representing the state's five companies that run production facilities and the 20 dispensaries spread across the state, is waging a court battle to thwart the effort. It argues that the Cuomo administration's plan to bring on new producers will jeopardize their financial viability.

Amy Peckham, the chief operating officer of Etain, a company that produces medical cannabis at a Chestertown facility and operates four dispensaries, said in an affidavit filed with the lawsuit that the state Department of Health's decision to increase the number of licensed suppliers from five to 10 was "shocking."

Peckham said the move "will further cripple an already ailing market."

She also contended there is no evidence to back the state agency's contention that the New York program is facing "unmet patient demand" for the marijuana products, noting her company alone has enough cannabis on hand to supply the needs of the entire state for the next 18 months.

Read more at the Press Republican