Pubdate: Sat, 09 Apr 2011 Source: Daily Record, The (Parsippany, NJ) Copyright: 2011 The Daily Record Contact: http://www.dailyrecord.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/112 Author: Charles Kwiatkowski SERIOUSLY ILL AWAIT MARIJUANA PROGRAM I am writing this letter in regard to the final weeks of the public comment period for the New Jersey's medical marijuana program. I choose to write to the Press instead of the state, which would rather manipulate the sick and seriously ill residents of New Jersey than help them. New Jersey patients and residents need to know so they can continue to call their elected representatives. As a multiple sclerosis patient for the past 14 years and medical-marijuana user for more than half of them, I am disgusted that New Jersey regulations will include room for seeds and branches, leaves and other vegetation, etc., within the 2 ounces per month al-lowed to qualifying patients. This itself is another back-door means of giving us sick people exactly 10 percent THC, by supplying us with horse-feed as well to make up the other 90 percent. Nowhere in any of the other states that allow medical marijuana would anything with seeds and other debris in it be worthy enough to be called medical marijuana. I was with state Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, when he helped to neutralize these strict guidelines for the sake of all. I now can only hope for the proper program to be set forth, not the hurried-to-halt program with members fleeing the Health Department. Many patients require high grade medical marijuana of 20 percent THC to control spasticity, hunger, etc. These are important requirements to control involuntary movements. I feel Sen. Scutari has every right to force them to completely rewrite the existing draconian policy for medical marijuana. I can only hope for change this year; or will it be next year? Charles Kwiatkowski HAZLET - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.