NY state selects 5 firms to sell medical marijuana

Albany, New York

MIRRORING a national trend toward an acceptance of marijuana, the New York State Department of Health has named the five organisations that will be allowed to sell the drug for medical use in the state, including in New York City.

The organisations will be registered with the state, and each plans to open four dispensaries statewide. They are required to be doing business within six months, meaning medical marijuana could be on sale in New York before the end of the year.

The marijuana outlets were authorised by the Compassionate Care Act that was signed by governor Andrew M Cuomo, a Democrat, in July 2014, and the registrations were is…