New York is the 23rd state along with the District of Columbia, to allow medical marijuana in some form. Andrew Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act, which allows doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients for medical purposes.

The law provides the prescription of cannabis by certified physicians and exclusively to patients suffering from serious diseases like cancer, HIV, Lou Gehrig’, Parkinson, multiple sclerosis, injuries in spinal cord or epilepsy.

The patients should first be admitted to the program.

Only five companies will be allowed to grow cannabis and make it available to the State, up to 20 institutions.

The drug can not be smoked and doses will be strictly limited, since the treatment will not exceed 30 days.

“There is no doubt that medical marijuana can help people,” Cuomo said. “We are here to help people. And if there is a medical advancement, then we want to make sure that we’re bringing it to New Yorkers.”

Total of 23 U.S. states and the federal capital of Washington allow medical marijuana. Some states even allow the patients to grow a few plants. Among the states that allow medical marijuana are Connecticut, Vermont and New Jersey, each of which borders New York.