David Lombardo is reporting for Capitol Confidential the state Senate Health Committee is set to consider a bill that would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana instead of opioids in certain cases. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. George Amedore. The Rotterdam Republican has served as the co-chair of the state Senate’s task force on opioid and heroin abuse since 2015. The measure currently pending is a response to the national opioid abuse crisis, and is intended to provide physicians with alternatives to prescription opioids for the management of pain and other conditions. Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island has introduced a bill in the state Senate that would add opioid use disorder to the list of conditions that could be treated with medical marijuana, but it has not moved in the Senate Health Committee. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.