Becoming a Caregiver Producer or Provider in New Jersey

Caregiver

New Jersey's medical cannabis laws protect patients and their primary caregivers from prosecution for cannabis law violations. By state law, a designated caregiver is allowed to possess, obtain, and provide cannabis for the patient. The caregiver is not allowed to use this cannabis for his or her personal use, nor provide this medicine to unqualified patients.

A caregiver must be at least 18 years of age and a New Jersey resident. A caregiver can be designated by the patient at any time on the MMP website. Once the caregiver is designated, the caregiver must complete the MMP application form and agree to a criminal background check. Caregivers cannot have been convicted of possession or sale of a controlled dangerous substance unless it was a federal conviction for marijuana sale or possession that was authorized by New Jersey medical cannabis law.  The Department of Health has more information and required forms (click here).

Production/Distribution

Registered patients must obtain their medicine from an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) with which they are registered; patients may only purchase medicine from their registered ATC. The amount of cannabis a patient may obtain is to be indicated by the patient’s physician but may not exceed two (2) ounces in a 30-day period.

ATCs must apply to the Department of Health (DOH) for permits to grow and dispense medicinal marijuana. CUMMA authorizes DOH to verify the information contained in the application and to monitor, oversee, and investigate all activities concerning each ATC seeking to operate in New Jersey.

DOH has application forms available (click here).

Training Requirements

The training requirements as set forth in the New Jersey Administrative Code are as follows:

Alternative treatment center employee training 
(a) Each alternative treatment center shall either: 
1. Develop, implement and maintain on the premises an onsite training curriculum; or 
2. Enter into contractual relationships with outside resources capable of meeting employee, agent and volunteer training needs. 
(b) Each employee, agent or volunteer, at the time of his or her initial appointment, shall receive, as a minimum, training in the following: 
1. Professional conduct, ethics and State and Federal laws regarding patient confidentiality; 
2. Informational developments in the field of medical use of marijuana; 
3. The proper use of security measures and controls that have been adopted; and 
4. Specific procedural instructions for responding to an emergency, including a robbery or workplace violence.