Pubdate: Sat, 11 Aug 2012
Source: Record, The (Hackensack, NJ)
Copyright: 2012 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.northjersey.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/44

GLACIAL PROGRESS

THERE finally is a small ray of sunshine for New Jersey residents 
suffering from such awful ailments as cancer, multiple sclerosis, 
HIV/AIDS and muscular dystrophy. Almost three years after it was 
approved, medical marijuana may become available to patients next month.

The state Health Department this week announced that patients who 
qualify for the drug can begin registering to get it on the 
"Medicinal Marijuana Program" page on the department's website. The 
registry will help connect patients with an estimated 150 doctors who 
have signed up with the state to dispense marijuana. As of Friday, 28 
physicians in Bergen County and eight in Passaic County are participating.

The rules are quite stringent. Those who feared someone can walk off 
the street complaining of back pain and leave a doctor's office with 
an ounce of pot have nothing to worry about. Under New Jersey law, 
medical marijuana recipients must be diagnosed with a "debilitating 
medical condition," by a doctor registered with the program. The fee 
is $200 and a card for obtaining medicinal marijuana is good for two years.

Marijuana for the program will be grown in six centers across the 
state. The first one to open should be Greenleaf Compassion Center in 
Montclair, which already is growing plants in an undisclosed 
location. If all goes well, it will begin dispensing the drug in 
September. Another dispensary is expected to open later this year in 
Atlantic County. The other four, however, are not close to opening. 
None, in fact, has even found a location.

The possibility that marijuana will begin reaching those who need it 
sometime next month is encouraging to be sure. But we can't ignore 
how slow the Christie administration has been in implementing this 
program. The problem always seemed more political than anything else.

Recall that the state's medical marijuana law was signed by former 
Gov. Jon Corzine just before he left office in January 2010. Governor 
Christie has not seemed particularly fond of the idea. We don't know 
if he's philosophically opposed to the concept, or if he was just 
annoyed Corzine was the one who signed it.

Whatever the reason, a program that was to take effect in six months 
is only now getting ready to become operational more than two years 
later. The administration initially sought to limit the number of 
dispensaries in the state and to reduce the drug's THC content, or 
potency, thereby reducing its effectiveness.

Then, the governor said he wanted formal assurances from the U.S. 
Justice Department that it would not criminally prosecute businesses 
and individuals associated with the state program. Those were 
stalling tactics. Medicinal marijuana is dispensed in 17 states plus 
the District of Columbia.The feds prosecute no one unless drugs are 
sold to ineligible people. More recently, plans of some of the 
dispensaries to open have been stymied by local opposition.

The governor aggressively pushes projects that he likes. Just take a 
look at how he wants sports betting in New Jersey in defiance of 
federal law. Patient registration is good news, but it's still a 
shame the governor has been so reticent to forcefully back a 
medicinal marijuana program that can make life more bearable for ill people.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom