NEW JERSEY

ASA Affiliates

Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Chief Executive Officer, CMM–NJ
844 Spruce St.
Trenton, NJ 08648
609 394-2137
info@cmmnj.org

New Jersey Legislative Update

 New Jersey  Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Bill!
WHO:      State Senators in  New Jersey
WHAT:   Approved the New Jersey  Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act
(S119)  
WHEN:   Monday February 23, 2009 at 4:20  PM
WHERE: Senate Chambers of the New Jersey  State House in Trenton, NJ
WHY:        To advance a bill that will protect seriously ill or injured New
Jersey patients  who use      therapeutic  marijuana on the advice of a
licensed physician.   

The New Jersey State  Senate approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" (S119)  on Monday, February 23, 2009 at  approximately 4:20 PM by a vote of 22 -16 in the State House Senate Chambers in  Trenton, NJ. 

Many supporters of the  bill attended the voting session, led by the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ).  The senate vote was a significant step  in the legislative process to protect patients who use marijuana on the recommendation of a physician.  The  bill will next go to the New Jersey Assembly, the lower house, for votes in the  health committee and the entire Assembly.  
Governor Jon Corzine has said on several occasions that he supports  medical marijuana and that he will sign the bill when it gets to his desk.  New Jersey would become the 14th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana if it passes  this legislation into law.

S119 will remove the  state penalties for the possession, use and cultivation of a small amount of  marijuana when a licensed physician recommends it for a debilitating medical  condition.  Qualifying medical  conditions include chronic  pain, cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, etc.  Patients will be  issued ID cards in a program run by the New Jersey Department of Health and  Senior Services (DHSS).  Patients  will be permitted to grow up to six plants and possess one ounce of marijuana,  but they will not be permitted to use their therapeutic marijuana in public or  while operating motor vehicles.

Patients may designate a caregiver or treatment center to grow the plants for them, but the caregiver/center must also register with DHSS.  CMMNJ Executive Director, Ken Wolski, RN  said, "The bill is very conservative.  No medical marijuana state has a smaller plant limit or possession  amount.  Still, it will help a  tremendous number of patients here.  We applaud the senators who supported this bill"

The American Nurses Association, the  American College of Physicians, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the American  Public Health Association, the American Academy of HIV Medicine and many other  professional
healthcare organizations have endorsed medical marijuana.   

CMMNJ,  a 501(c)(3) public charity, provides education about the benefits of safe and  legal access to medical marijuana.  For more info, contact:

Ken  Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey,  Inc.
844 Spruce St., Trenton,  NJ  08648
609.394.2137 www.cmmnj.org ohamkrw@aol.com

Other Resources

The laws in New Jersey according to NORML