Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, noted recently for his direct approach to local issues, has shown a more lawyerly side when dealing with the state’s new medical marijuana law.
The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was signed in January 2010 after a hard-won, 5-year effort in the NJ legislature. Patients around the state were expecting to get registration cards and acquire legal medical cannabis by the fall.
But this week the Governor’s office requested a 6-12 month extension. The reason cited for the possible delay was their trepidation of the complexities for creating a working business model for distribution.
The local non-profit medical cannabis advocacy group, CMMNJ, responded in a press release today :
Ken Wolski, RN, Executive Director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) said, “There must be no delay in implementing this law. Patients are suffering now, and to tell them they must continue to suffer for another year because of the bureaucrats in Trenton is unacceptable.”
Advocates noted that with any delay to the program many terminally ill patients would not live to find relief with legal medical marijuana. Hospice and Palliative Care networks are some of the strongest supporters of the medical cannabis law.
Wolski continued, “ Marijuana is recognized as medicine in New Jersey and patients deserve timely access to it. The recent trial and conviction of MS patient John Wilson in Somerville amply proves that patients desperately need regulated access to marijuana that is legal in the eyes of police, prosecutors, judges and juries around the state.” READ FULL RELEASE
Governor Christie is a former US Attorney and as a candidate in 2009 he was initially opposed to compassionate cannabis access by ill residents. But, even before the bill was voted into law (a vote that included a strong number of his fellow Republicans) Christie softened on the issue during a key televised debate. He claimed to agree with the concept of medical marijuana but not with the language of the bill at the time.
The 6-12 month extension would require that a separate piece of legislation be introduced and passed in Trenton.
Senator Nicholas Scutari’s response to the request was quoted in the NJ Spotlight:
I said, ‘Send me a memo on what your issues are, and I’ll consider it, but I’m not going to give you that much time.’ It’s been in effect since January,” READ FULL
More information about medical marijuana in New Jersey is available at www.cmmnj.org
Subscribe to the Philadelphia NORML Examiner – it’s free!
NJ: Christie wants extra year for medical marijuana
NJ: Medical marijuana law offers new centralized approach
Breaking NJ: Court orders bail for man jailed over medical marijuana
NJ Senators ask Gov Christie for medical marijuana pardon
NJ MS patient: 5 year sentence for growing marijuana
MS patient: Not guilty on most serious marijuana charge
NJ: Judge allows John Wilson to mention MS at marijuana trial
Rally photos: MS patient John Wilson facing 15 years for 17 plants
NJ: Politicians speak out for medical marijuana
Final plea for medical marijuana in New Jersey
Comments
Mr. Christie and his team of bureaucrats need more time to figure out how to stall longer.
Just Like in LA , 14 years later the city council approved regulations , except under the new laws most will have to close
If the MMJ has to be under politicians control , no patient will ever get it
NJ needs to have another vote on cultivation.
dont think it will be affordable
let people grow 6- 12 plants , like in CA
its good therapy for ill people,
I may be in Pennsylvania, but i am over here wanting to fight the fight also! I don't believe that we should ONLY fight for MMJ patients! THIS IS PROHIBITION AND I WON'T STAND FOR IT! Reading some of the MMJ laws, it SEEMS that local gov't can STILL come in and bust you! Why can't we just legalize it and make the stigma go away?
I refuse to allow ANYONE ELSE to die of malnutrition becuase of the inability to eat because of any disease or treatment they are receiving! And to live in a medical marijuana state and NOT BE COMFORTABLE utilizing the plant because of the stigma!!!!
JUST LEGALIZE IT ALREADY!
'I don't understand why people can't embrace the leaf as they have the grape' Farmer Dave Scher!
The only compassion I see from Mr. Christie is for the millionaires who don’t pay a fair share of the taxes. The rich pay a pittance in taxes. Why doesn’t it hurt in a real and meaningful painful way like the pain sufferers in New Jersey?
We pain sufferers have waited years for medical marijuana. Enduring last minute stalling and delays during the January 2010 NJ sessions.
New Jersey has the most restrictive law of the fourteen states, because opposition deemed it necessary. Mr. Christie stalled and delayed the bill from the inception. Now his administration has not accomplished the necessary WORK to implement the law as outlined in the bill.
Delaying implementation is a bad example of upholding and enforcing the law. The only defense by Gov. Christie is, “There has been no foot dragging”.
Yet, even the application form allowing the use of medical marijuana has not been issued. Either use the knowledge gained by the legislature sessions or use the knowledge from the o
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!