Parents of sick children: Speed up NY's medical pot law

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

In this Oct. 23, 2013, photo, a marijuana plant matures at a growing facility in Denver.

Parents of sick children are asking New York state lawmakers to allow their children to have emergency access to medical marijuana.

Lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved the state’s medical marijuana law last year. But the program is not expected to start until 2016.

Several parents of children with debilitating neurological conditions have said the state should grant early access to patients with certain health problems.

The group plans to gather at the state Capitol on Tuesday to encourage lawmakers to pass a law that would make medical marijuana available immediately.

Last year, federal officials denied New York’s request to import marijuana from another medical marijuana state to speed the process.