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  Ailing Await Medicinal Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on March 21, 2010 at 04:59:41 PT
By Lavinia DeCastro, Courier-Post Staff  
Source: Courier-Post 

Collingswood, N.J. -- Donna Doak anxiously awaits the day when she can get a prescription for marijuana. The Swedesboro nurse, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and spinal stenosis and is wheelchair-bound, said marijuana can ease her pain without the nasty side effects of her current medications."Now that it's been legalized, I want to pursue it," said Doak, who was among the roughly dozen people who attended a town hall meeting at the Collingswood Library sponsored by the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey. "I just think it's going to really enable me to have a better quality of life."
In January, New Jersey became the fourth state on the East Coast to legalize medicinal marijuana when then Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act into law.The legislation legalized marijuana use in the treatment of certain conditions, including glaucoma, seizures, cancer, AIDS, inflammatory bowel syndrome and neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis.While many of the details of New Jersey's law are still to be determined, patients should be able to obtain a prescription that would allow them to purchase marijuana from a state-licensed alternative treatment center as soon as July."Marijuana is a safe, effective and inexpensive treatment for a host of diseases," said the coalition's executive director, Ken Wolski, a registered nurse.Fourteen states have legalized medical marijuana."Another dozen states are considering similar laws," Wolski said.Among the states considering medical marijuana bills this year are Alabama, Delaware, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania."We do have the most restrictive bill in the country," said Wolski, adding that New Jersey is the only state that doesn't allow home cultivation.Coalition officials estimate that roughly 4,000 people in New Jersey will obtain a prescription for marijuana."One of the more common questions we get is if insurance companies will pay for medical marijuana," coalition board member Chris Goldstein said. "I think medical marijuana is equal to an over-the-counter medication. They don't cover Tylenol, they don't cover ibuprofen, so I don't think they'll cover medical marijuana."Coalition members also discussed the case of a Franklin Township man with multiple sclerosis who was sentenced to five years in prison for growing marijuana in the backyard of his rental property. A sign that read "Pardon John Ray Wilson" and "medical marijuana patient, not a criminal" sat on a table at the library."To me, it was a travesty of justice," Wolski said."It's the most lenient sentence that the judge could give under the law," Goldstein said. "The question is whether he'll be able to use medical marijuana when he goes on parole."James Wayne, of Bellmawr, uses marijuana to lessen the pain for a head injury and severe back problems but will not be able to obtain a prescription under the new law because chronic pain is not one of the approved uses."The Percocet makes me nauseous and I can't think right," Wayne said. "I smoke two or three hits and I'm good for a couple of hours. I would much rather have the person who is driving my children to be taking marijuana for their pain than taking 10 milliliters of Percocet."Goldstein said the coalition will host town hall meetings throughout the state to educate people about the law and discuss its implementation."This is legal now," Goldstein said. "You don't have to be afraid to talk about this. It's a private decision to use medical marijuana just like it's a private decision to use any medication." Source: Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, NJ)Author: Lavinia DeCastro, Courier-Post Staff Published: March 21, 2010Copyright: 2010 Courier-PostURL: http://drugsense.org/url/X2P0DrN2Website: http://www.courierpostonline.com/Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/SuuG7xhYCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #8 posted by Boulder Patient on March 23, 2010 at 09:27:27 PT
I agree
to really bring down prices we need large outdoor grows.Why do we have to burn coal to generate electricity to grow indoors? It is such a waste. Lets use the original solar power to grow our medicine.
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Comment #7 posted by Canis420 on March 22, 2010 at 16:46:53 PT:
Boulder patient
Me thinks Cali's prices are still pretty high...just from what I have heard ppl say in this forum.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Boulder Patient on March 21, 2010 at 23:48:34 PT
Too bad NJ didn't go the private dispensary route
I predict that New Jersey's dispensary will have limited choice, at outrageous prices. I do not understand why we can't let the free market run the dispensaries. Right now only California and Colorado have free market dispensary systems.I do not like the idea of a few so called "non-profit" dispensaries allowed in a state. In South Carolina's alcohol distribution program this led to corruption and graft.Let the free market decide.In other news, another Colorado town just banned medical marijuana dispensaries.
Kremmling Bans Dispensaries
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Comment #5 posted by Richard Zuckerman on March 21, 2010 at 18:56:41 PT:
Implementation time!!!
Last week, I spoke with somebody from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. The man told me he has no idea about the current status of implementation of N.J.'s medical Marijuana law. Perhaps www.oaksterdamuniversity.com can give the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services a few good pointers?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 21, 2010 at 17:01:44 PT
charmed quark
You're welcome. Keep up the good work!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by charmed quark on March 21, 2010 at 16:36:34 PT
Collingswood Presentation
Thanks for posting this. My local library. I was one of the presenters but am camera shy. We had a great discussion with patients about the new law.-Peter
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Comment #2 posted by Hope on March 21, 2010 at 14:44:42 PT
Prohibitionists cannot believe it.
They cannot believe it even though it is completely true.They think it's a ploy on the part of those who want them to help stop the prohibition of cannabis.Really amazing and helpful, easing, healing effects on the mind and body, with so little, if any thing, in the way of detrimental side effects, can happen from use of the plant. The prohibitionist fear of being made some sort of fool of, is causing them be the fool.Their prohibition is doing so much more harm to so many people than the use of the plant ever could.Pride and fear, I guess, won't let them let their war, and their belief and faith in it, go. It's a personal principal for them, too. They're "True Believers" in the War on Drugs. Not to mention all those many supporters of the status quo drug war that make a living out of aspects of the whole crusade, ... or the fight against drugs, or whatever they want to call it today.
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on March 21, 2010 at 11:54:36 PT
illogical
Here is where the whole thing get illogical (but is anything regarding cannabis and the law logical anyway?)…You need a prescription or recommendation to purchase medical cannabis, but is it not covered like other prescription medications.  “ "I think medical marijuana is equal to an over-the-counter medication. They don't cover Tylenol, they don't cover ibuprofen, so I don't think they'll cover medical marijuana." ” So, if it is to be treated like over the counter meds, why do you need a prescription for it in the first place?Here is another illogical thing, in the case of John Ray Wilson. He suffers from multiple sclerosis. He has no insurance to pay for treatment or other medication. He has been self medicating with home grown. He was arrested for same, and will now be going to prison, where ironically enough, he will get treatment for his MS at the taxpayers’ expense. Of course, he is now a criminal. There is no logic, or sense, or justice in that.
[ Post Comment ]




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