Lawmakers Approve Bills to Revamp NJ Medical Marijuana Program

In a move that may change the future of medical marijuana in New Jersey, state lawmakers recently approved a package of three separate bills that sponsors claim will ensure better access and care for more than 4,000 registered patients.

The trio - ACR-224, A-4286 and A-3726 – will now head to the Senate for an upcoming vote.

The first bill, ACR-224, requires the NJ Department of Health – which administrates the state medical marijuana program – to strike or rewrite multiple provisions of their current regulations which lawmakers charge are “not consistent with the intent of the [New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act].”

Policies that face the ax include the requirement for physicians to register for a public database, a clause forcing minors to get the approval of multiple physicians, and a rule that prevents the state’s licensed medical marijuana providers from running satellite locations and providing home delivery to registered patients.

The bill also eliminates the cap on permissible THC levels in dried cannabis – currently set at 10 percent – in addition to creating a panel of 15 “health care professionals” who would make recommendations to the Commissioner of Health for new qualifying medical conditions.

The second bill, A-4286, addresses alleged shortages at the state’s three licensed dispensaries - one of which is located in Montclair - by allowing them to share excess medication and supplies.

The third bill, A-3726, would authorize post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in New Jersey.

HOW DID YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES VOTE?

Thomas P. Giblin:

· ACR-224: Yes

· A-4286: Yes

· A-3726: Yes

Sheila Y. Oliver:

· ACR-224: Yes

· A-4286: Yes

· A-3726: Yes

PATCH READER POLL

Medical marijuana advocates have supported the bills, stating that the changes are long overdue for a program that has been frustratingly slow and limited in scope.

Opponents of medical marijuana use in New Jersey such as Governor Chris Christie have gone on record as calling the program “blood money.”

Where do you stand? Share your opinion with other Patch readers below!