One of the biggest champions of medical marijuana in the state is a fifth-grader from Rockland County.
Amanda Houser, who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy, lobbied state lawmakers to pass the medicinal marijuana bill into law. She was at Gov. Andrew Cuomo's side on Monday when he signed the bill.
The 10-year-old's family lobbied for medicinal marijuana because they believe it could help reduce the number of seizures she has.
Under the new law, people who suffer from chronic illness, from epilepsy to cancer, will now be allowed to obtain non-smokeable versions of marijuana. The drug must be ingested in pill form or administered through a vaporizer or oil base under the supervision of a doctor.
Though medical marijuana is legal, it will not be available to the public for another 18 months.