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| N.J. Releases Rules for Dispensing Marijuana |
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Posted by CN Staff on October 06, 2010 at 18:35:58 PT By Susan K. Livio, Statehouse Bureau Source: Star-Ledger 
Trenton -- Getting into New Jersey’s medical marijuana program will be tough: Patients must have one of nine diseases or conditions and their doctors must have been treating them for at least a year, seen them four times and be willing to vouch that traditional forms of relief have failed.Once they pass the scrutiny of a state-appointed review panel, patients can either go to one of four dispensaries or arrange to get their medicine delivered to their home, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services, which tonight released the highly anticipated rules for what patients, advocates and lawmakers call the most restrictive medical marijuana program in the country. Application and renewal fees are either $20 or $200, depending on patients’ income level. They can choose how they want to ingest their medication — either by smoking, taking an enhanced lozenge or applying a lotion laced with THC, one of the active ingredients in pot, according to the 97 pages of rules. Patients can receive up to 2 ounces of marijuana per month from their dispensaries, also called "alternative treatment centers.’’ The state also limited the potency of the drug to just 10 percent THC, according to the rules. The Health Department will select just two growers to supply four nonprofit dispensaries — a departure from the law enacted in January. The law called for a minimum of six nonprofit centers to both grow and sell marijuana. Entrepreneurs must pay $20,000 to apply, although they’ll get $18,000 back if they are rejected. Annual renewal fees are also $20,000. "We have designed a clinically sound program that is unique to New Jersey,’’ said Health Commissioner Poonam Alaigh. "It is a physician-driven program that provides access to qualified patients for whom conventional treatment has failed and who may benefit from medicinal marijuana as a symptom reliever. The program is also designed to ensure that patients receive ongoing medical care from a physician." Snipped Complete Article: http://drugsense.org/url/yon9TUJa Source: Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
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| Comment #11 posted by FoM on October 11, 2010 at 12:23:41 PT |
| October 11, 2010 New Jersey -- It's time we leave medical decisions up to medical personnel, since there is nothing in their makeup that equips bureaucrats to understand the needs of people in distress. New Jersey released proposed regulations for medical marijuana use and the emphasis is not on helping the chronically and terminally ill. Certainly, we don't want a law meant to help the needy used as a way to get pot for fun, but adjustments have to be made. Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, shares the concern. He sponsored the legislation and has a problem with changes made after his bill was signed into law. "I don't want them rewriting my law," he told a reporter. "That's not right." Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20101011/OPINION02/10110342 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by NoCowLevel on October 08, 2010 at 07:59:03 PT |
| Why is the government treating this like it's heroin? It's marijuana for Earth's sake! Absolute disgrace. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 07, 2010 at 19:41:08 PT |
| Thank you. I just checked it out and yours worked and the one in the article didn't work for me either. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by greenmed on October 07, 2010 at 19:19:51 PT |
| For some reason, I could not access the rules at the link at the bottom of the article, but here's a direct link for anybody who might have the same difficulty: http://www.state.nj.us/health/med_marijuana.shtml [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 07, 2010 at 16:46:50 PT |
| Gov. Christie Defends Proposed Rules for N.J. Medical Marijuana After Advocates Criticized Them as Strict October 7, 2010 TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today defended the strict rules his administration proposed this week for the state’s medical marijuana program, saying they’ll ensure "distribution is medicinal, not recreational." URL: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/gov_christie_defends_proposed.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by charmed quark on October 07, 2010 at 14:18:58 PT |
| Both of the main legislative sponsors have protested the deviations from the letter and the spirit of the law as passed. It was already extremely restrictive and sure didn't need anything else added to it. Plus the regulations are full of our and out nonsense, such as requiring doctors to council patients about the potential addictive nature of cannabis. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #5 posted by Vincent on October 07, 2010 at 07:49:39 PT:
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| ...what do you expect? Gov. Christie is a Conservative Republican, and that's the way it is. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on October 07, 2010 at 04:40:30 PT |
| don't forget in Rhode Island the DPH took a year to reject ALL the applications for dispensaries. This will likely happen in NJ as well, but unlike RI, the patients can't grow, so the entire program will be moot. Another reminder that we must strive for laws similar to CO and CA, not other states where restrictive laws cripple the programs. Only CA and CO are even coming close to serving 100% of the actual patients in the state. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by The GCW on October 06, 2010 at 20:13:26 PT |
| Make the sick citizens jump through hoops. And pay extortion money. Unless they want to stick to the Pharm pills. Then it's easy street. Completely RE-legalizing the God-given plant (see the 1st page of the Bible) cannabis is one of the most important issues of Our time. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 06, 2010 at 19:33:01 PT |
| It's good to see you. I think you're right too. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on October 06, 2010 at 19:25:11 PT |
| There will be law suits. [ Post Comment ] |
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