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Medicial marijuana on the verge of becoming (barely) legal in New Jersey

By Douglas Berman

CASLDEYXCAAHFV64CACB2EBDCANMF5V6CAJAKZGICA0WLB1KCA2GI6EGCABUWKHLCAE3MKI7CA0GS293CAVANS16CAK60O1CCAL1U3ETCAA119LICAUIC71ECAL7HV23CAQUFMNBCAI2561VCA2TR4UD This local story, which is headlined “N.J. Assembly approves bill legalizing medical marijuana,” report that New Jersey is soon to become the first state in its region to authorize marijuana use for medical reasons.  Looks like I picked a good time to be visiting the tri-state area and to start getting tension headaches.  In all seriousness, as the local story details, the bill making its way through the New Jersey legislature puts some significant restrictions on medical marijuana usage:

The New Jersey Assembly today approved a bill legalizing medical marijuana by a vote of 48-14.

Before the vote, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), a bill sponsor, said he believes the legislation will satisfy Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who expressed concerns about the drug’s availability under the proposal, and serve as a model for other states.  “This will be the strictest medical marijuana law in the nation,” he said.  “We have a good bill that will be very strict and will not decriminalize marijuana, but will allow doctors to prescribe the best treatment for their patients.”

Roseanne Scotti, director of Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey, said the measure would make the state medical marijuana law the only one in the nation to ban home growing of the plant.  The original bill allowed up to six plants grown at home.  Despite the compromise, she added that the more restrictive legislation is at least a step toward getting medical relief for patients.

“There will be some patients who will be able to get some relief,” she said.  “We think once the program’s up and running and people see that there aren’t problems, we’ll be able to go back and get in some more of our patients.”

I suppose only time will tell if New Jersey starts to really live up to its nickname as the Garden State.

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