[420 Girl]

New York - People in Binghamton will see the first billboard campaign to allow for the use of medical marijuana.

On Monday, the New York Senate included legalization legislation in its proposed budget.

Action News Reporter Leigh Dana spoke with a group aiming high to get public support.

Jennifer Rog suffers from a number of debilitating stomach ailments.

For her, smoking marijuana means she can eat.

"It's a scary thing to not be able to eat food and have your body reject things that doctors want to try to give you for pain. And you can't take pills,so you're left with not many options," said Rog.

Which is why Rog and other members of New York's Patients First are pushing state leaders to finally light up the legislation to legalization medical marijuana.

"We believe the bill pending in the Legislature is a carefully crafted bill that will roll this program out slowly," said Adam Scavone with NY Patient's First.

The group unveiled the state's first pro-patient billboard on Front Street in Binghamton.

Their campaign, which is paid for by marijuanadoctors.com, stresses the need for safe, legal, regulated access to medical marijuana.

"It's kind of silly. It feels silly for it to be illegal anymore," said Rhonda Holmes of Port Dickinson.

Holmes says she uses pot to relieve pain from her multiple sclerosis and says getting it off the street can sometimes be scary.

The billboard illustrates just that.

"Thousands of new yorkers have to turn to the streets and illegal drug deals in order to get their medicine," said Rog.

If the bill gets the green light in Albany, New York would become the 16th state in the county to legalize the drug for patients with illnesses.

In Binghamton, Leigh Dana, WBNG TV Action News.

A recent Siena Research Poll shows 50% of New York voters support the use of medical marijuana.

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