April 22nd 2009 – The three Democratic candidates for Manhattan district attorney said Tuesday they back the legalization of medical marijuana.

“Doctors should be able to prescribe marijuana for patients with serious health conditions – or side effects, like those from chemotherapy – when they determine that it is medically appropriate,” said DA hopeful Richard Aborn in response to a Daily News inquiry.

“Patients, in turn, who receive their doctor’s prescription, should be able to obtain marijuana, with appropriate controls to ensure safety and prevent criminal trafficking,” Aborn added.

Leslie Crocker Snyder and Cy Vance, the other two Democratic candidates, also voiced support.

In Albany, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and state Sen. Thomas Duane, both Manhattan Democrats, introduced legislation that would protect New York patients from arrest for using medical marijuana.

“It is cruel to make seriously ill patients criminals for relying on medical marijuana for relief when their doctor recommends it,” said Gottfried, who has been pushing the issue for more than a decade. Full article here.