New York state governor Andrew Cuomo used executive action on Wednesday, January 8^th, to side step the New York state assembly and sign into law a bill that would legalize the use of medical marijuana in the state of New York.

The move by the governor of New York comes exactly one week after Colorado legalized the use of marijuana statewide through a referendum. In the case of Colorado, Governor John Hickenlooper, signed a law that would make it legal to sell marijuana to anyone over the age of 21, regardless whether it would be medical marijuana, or marijuana for personal use.

Medical marijuana is already legalized in 20 states throughout the United States including the District of Columbia. The list of states includes a number of Northeastern states which boarder the Empire state, including, New Jersey, Vermont and Connecticut.

The signing of the law was a turnaround in the point of view from the governor who had recently been against legalizing medical marijuana. The shift in attitude could possibly be because of a recent poll that was released that showed that 82% of New Yorkers support the passage of a bill that would legalize medical marijuana which include 81% of Democrats and Republicans.

Governor Cuomo may not have totally side stepped the New York state assembly as back in June (6/3)/2013), the New York State legislature passed the Compassionate care act 95-38 which would for doctors and their patients to collaborate with each other about the issue of medical marijuana and to allow those with certain illnesses to be given permission for them to acquire medical marijuana in the state.

Responding to the assembly's passage of the compassionate care act passage in June, that has led up to the signing of the legalization of medical marijuana, the New York state nurses association put out a statement reading, " We applaud the assembly for taking this step and passing the compassionate care act. The New York state nurses association supports this legislation because it creates a carefully controlled system allowing seriously ill New Yorkers, access to the therapeutic and palliative benefits of medical marijuana under the supervision of their healthcare provider."

Now with the signing of this law, by Governor Cuomo, people who qualify under this new bill can legally purchase medical marijuana in the Empire state.