Pubdate: Sat, 17 Aug 2013
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28

CHRISTIE EASES MARIJUANA ACCESS

(AP) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie agreed Friday to give 
chronically ill children easier access to medical marijuana, but he 
was unwilling to go as far as state lawmakers wanted.

The Republican governor conditionally vetoed a bill on the topic, 
saying in the document, "Parents, and not government regulators, are 
best suited to decide how to care for their children."

He said he agreed with provisions that would allow production of 
ingestible forms of pot at state-approved dispensaries and to allow 
dispensaries to grow more than three strains of the drug. But he 
struck a part of the bill that would have dropped a requirement that 
a psychiatrist and pediatrician sign off before children are allowed 
medical marijuana. He said he wanted to keep in some safeguards for 
young patients.

The bill now goes back to the Legislature. If lawmakers make the 
changes Christie requested, it will become law. It was not 
immediately clear when lawmakers may take it up, but the state Senate 
does have a voting session scheduled for Monday.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom