Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jun 2014
Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ)
Copyright: 2014 Asbury Park Press
Contact:  http://www.app.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26
Author: Eric Hafner

RECOGNIZE OUT-OF-STATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS

With the recent resignation of the CEO of Compassionate Care
Foundation Inc., operator of Egg Harbor Township medical marijuana
dispensary, it is clear that New Jersey's faux dispensary system is on
the verge of crumbling altogether.

Gov. Chris Christie has presented the false and deceptive image of an
operational medical marijuana program to the citizens of New Jersey.

In reality, Christie has betrayed his most vulnerable constituents by
covertly plotting with the pharmaceutical, prison, drug testing and
drug rehab industries to prevent the program from ever getting off the
ground.

Medical marijuana is not legally available to most of the seriously
ill patients in New Jersey who could benefit from it most because of
the overly restrictive program regulations created by the Christie
administration.

Under the malicious direction of Christie, the New Jersey Attorney
General's Office has purposefully misinformed prosecutors and police
across the state as to the validity of out-of-state medical marijuana
cards in New Jersey.

While the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act describes New Jersey
as joining the effort of legalizing medical marijuana with other
states, and the Full Faith and Credit clause of the U.S. Constitution
requires New Jersey to recognize the documents of other states as
valid, the Christie dictatorship has pursued a policy of violating the
constitutional rights and human rights of traveling patients by
criminally prosecuting them and refusing to recognize the validity of
their medical marijuana cards issued by other U.S. states.

This is disgraceful when the stated purpose of the act is to protect
patients from being arrested.

Until this injustice is resolved by the Legislature and through case
law, local governments should pass municipal ordinances explicitly
recognizing the validity of out-of-state medical marijuana cards and
direct their police departments not to arrest or seize medicine from
out-of-state patients.

Eric Hafner

Toms River
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