Rush For Medical Marijuana In NJ After New Conditions Approved

New Jersey’s medical marijuana program has seen an influx of patients sign up under a recently approved list of five, new qualifying conditions, state officials announced Tuesday.

About 1,000 patients have signed up under the five new conditions since Governor Phil Murphy ordered a revamp of the state’s program earlier this year, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. The five medical conditions are:

• chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders / chronic visceral pain (500 new patients combined)
• anxiety (400 new patients)
• migraines (90 new patients)
• Tourette’s Syndrome (5 new patients)

Overall, the program has seen a swell in new patients since Murphy’s edict. A total of 1,500 patients have joined the program in the past month and 4,200 have joined since the Murphy Administration began on Jan. 16.

There are now 20,000 enrolled patients in New Jersey, Department of Health officials said.

“We’re adding 100 new patients every day,” Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said. “This demonstrates that there was pent up demand. People with chronic pain now have the option of medicinal marijuana instead of opioids, and more than 100 strains are available.”

Learn more about the New Jersey medical marijuana program here, including information about how to sign up for the program and how to find a doctor. Consumers, physicians and anyone with questions about the program can email MMPquestions@doh.nj.gov

• See related article: FDA Calls Marijuana Ingredient 'Beneficial,' Wants To Know More

THE FIGHT TO EXPAND MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN NJ

New Jersey medical marijuana and cannabis advocates have been pushing for years to expand the list of qualifying conditions in a state that has been widely criticized for a lack of dispensary locations, as well as shortages of marijuana and doctors willing to prescribe it.

• See related article: New Jersey Activists Fight To Expand Medical Marijuana Program

According to state officials, one of pro-marijuana activists’ biggest complaints about the program – the lack of doctors willing to recommend the drug for treatment – is changing as well. About 600 physicians are now participating in the program, including 50 who joined in the last month.

The DOH said it has additional plans to bring awareness about the recent changes to the state’s medical marijuana program to local doctors:

“As part of an effort to educate physicians about the program, the department will produce a webinar and Dr. Elnahal will conduct grand rounds lectures later this spring for medical students, residents, physicians, nurses, faculty members and leaders at hospitals and medical schools around the state.”

• See related article: Is There A Medical Marijuana Doctor Shortage In New Jersey?

Other changes that have been made to the program in the past month include adding mobile access, lowering the biennial patient registration fee from $200 to $100 and adding veterans and seniors aged 65 and older to the list of those who qualify for the $20 discounted registration fee, DOH officials said.

Previously approved qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in New Jersey include: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis, Terminal cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn's disease), Terminal illness (if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life), Seizure disorder including epilepsy, Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity, Glaucoma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Cancer

Last year, pro-marijuana nonprofit Americans for Safe Access (ASA) released its annual report, which grades states with medical marijuana laws on factors such as "patient's rights," "legal constraints" and "overall accessibility to medical cannabis."

For 2017, New Jersey improved slightly to a "C" rating from the previous year's study.

• See related article: New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program Gets 'C' Grade In Annual Study

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