Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jan 2011
Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ)
Copyright: 2011 Asbury Park Press
Contact:  http://www.app.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26
Author: Bob Jordan, Statehouse Bureau
Bookmark: http://www.drugsense.org/cms/geoview/n-us-nj (New Jersey)

DEMOCRATS CLASH ON MARIJUANA RULES

Senate Panel to Consider Rewriting Christie Proposal

TRENTON -- The terminally ill's lack of access to medical marijuana 
is one of the worries of a state senator who is trying to force Gov. 
Chris Christie's administration to change proposed regulations of the drug.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Middlesex, said the Republican governor's 
proposed rules have several flaws, including barring dispensaries 
from making home deliveries, even for terminally ill patients -- 
those defined in the regulations as having less than 12 months to live.

"Terminally ill patients are penalized," Scutari said.

Also, the levels of the drugs active ingredient are capped 
"arbitrarily" and a rule requiring doctors who register with the 
program to complete training in addiction medicine is "unnecessary," 
Scutari said.

Scutari has scheduled a hearing Thursday with the Democrat-controlled 
Senate health committee that could lead to a rewrite of Christie's rules.

Hanging in the balance is the delivery of medical marijuana to those 
who suffer from chronic or terminal illnesses, which the law, signed 
in January, is supposed to provide.

Some key Democrats said they fear the rewrite process could 
significantly delay the launch of the program, which would deny 
people who could use medical marijuana much-needed relief.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, says Christie has already made 
adequate changes, with the governor upping the number of facilities 
to grow and distribute the marijuana to six, as the law calls for. 
The changes would make it easier for patients to get access to 
doctor-prescribed medical marijuana.

Gusciora said the amendments "encompass parts of the compromise I had 
reached with the governor. They're not perfect but it's a starting 
point. I believe half a loaf is better than no loaf."

"Scutari has the right to do what he's doing, but to start the 
regulations again from scratch will just delay seeing the program get 
started," Gusciora added.

But Scutari said this is likely the only time significant changes can 
be made, adding "We only have one shot with this. We have to get it right."

New Jersey got the ball rolling to become the 14th state offering 
medical marijuana when then-Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed legislation in 
January 2010, one day before Christie took office.

The law is formally known as the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical 
Marijuana Act. Scutari and Gusciora were leading advocates.

Christie has insisted on strict rules, saying he wants to avoid 
creating a "de facto legalization of marijuana" in New Jersey.

Christie had said there are flaws with laws in some other 
jurisdictions, leading to situations where there is "a head shop in 
every town and quack doctors writing prescriptions for people with 
headaches to get marijuana."  
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake