They asked Cuomo to support passing the measure before this year's regular legislative session concludes this week.
"I don't understand how a politician who has no medical education or training is the one who's deciding the treatment my son can have or not have," said Missy Miller, whose 14-year-old son Oliver uses a wheelchair and suffers from hundreds of seizures. Certain strains of marijuana that are low in THC, the psychoactive ingredient that gets users high, have received international attention for curbing seizures in children.
"I don't understand how those same politicians hold my son and so many other New Yorkers who are suffering hostage," she said.
Cuomo said Tuesday that even if the bill passes both chambers, he wouldn't sign it unless some of his concerns were addressed, including a ban on marijuana smoking and the inclusion of a five-year evaluation period.
Amendments to the bill a day earlier meant to meet some of Cuomo's objections did not include the smoking ban or the evaluation period.
