A Quinnipiac poll shows that just over 70 percent of New Yorkers think it's a good idea to legalize medicinal marijuana and poll numbers like that have the bill's sponsor optimistic that this might be the year the bill becomes law. But as Capital Tonight's Kaitlyn Ross reports, it won't be without a fight from some vocal opponents to the plan.

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Over the years, several versions of the medicinal marijuana bill have passed the Assembly and each time, the Conservative Party has come out swinging against it.

"This bill is absolutely horrendous. There are no controls over it. If you have medicine, a doctor gives you a prescription and then they check in on you. In three months, in nine months at the most. This is for a year! And people aren't checking in. You're not sure how they're doing," Marie said.

Aside from the patients, the Conservative Party says the pot could also fall into the wrong hands.

"How do you know that people aren't just selling it on the street? You don't know that! There are no controls over it," said Marie.

But Assemblyman Richard Gottefried, who introduced the bill, argues marijuana shouldn't be treated differently than any other drug used for pain management.

"New York and other states always have legalized the medical use of morphine and codeine and a host of drugs that are highly addictive and have a high potential for abuse. We understand that using drugs like that under a doctor's care is one thing, recreational use is another. It is just political correctness gone crazy that we don't apply that political correctness to medical marijuana," Gottefried said.

The measure passed the Assembly with support from both sides of the aisle and has much support across the state.

"We have had support from physicians groups, nurses groups, advocacy groups for people with various different diseases. People assume that this is really highly controversial, but if you ask the average New Yorker, it's really not controversial," Gottefried said.

"They just don't understand the problems and that is the biggest problem. And it's our job, or my job, and other people's job, to educate them to make sure they understand the problems. Look, we don't want to see anybody suffer, but there is nothing in there, there is nothing medicinal about marijuana," Marie said.

Clearly a passionate debate on both sides, but are we going to see medicinal marijuana in New York State? Senate Republicans say the measure isn't even on their radar at this point, but Senate Democrats say they will conference the bill soon, given its support in the state.