Diane Riportella doesn't know how much time she has left. She has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease. The disease, which has no known cure, is causing her muscles to weaken. Her remaining time is a chance to help others, to keep fighting. So last month, the Egg Harbor Township resident, 54, traveled to Trenton. Three people helped her prepare for the trip to the Statehouse. There, Riportella appeared before two legislative committees considering medical marijuana regulation - marijuana helps her feel better, improving her spirits and appetite. Her father, New York State Assemblyman Jose Rivera, spoke on her behalf in Trenton. [continues 183 words]
Two compromises in short order last week were both good news for many New Jerseyans. First, Gov. Chris Christie struck a deal on the medical marijuana law that eases some of the restrictions he had insisted upon to implement the measure. Most important is an increase in the number of licensed distribution centers to six, all of which will also be able to grow the plant. That helps address concerns about patient access. Supporters of the law feared that too few centers would make it too difficult for some patients to acquire the pot even when properly prescribed. [continues 364 words]
Keep Rules Tight to Minimize Abuses, but Make Sure Patients Will Actually Use the Program. Upon further thought, Gov. Chris Christie said Monday he won't allow for any easing of the proposed restrictions the state Department of Health and Senior Services has proposed for implementing New Jersey's medical marijuana law approved almost a year ago. As we said before in urging the governor and his health commissioner to reconsider some aspects of the proposed rules, we understand why it's important to err on the side of caution with medical marijuana. Of the 13 states that have legalized marijuana for medical use by people suffering from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and a few other ailments, two in particular -- California and Colorado -- have seen things get way out of hand. [continues 385 words]
Diane Riportella is in the final stages of Lou Gehrig's Disease. She expects to die soon. The 54-year-old Egg Harbor Township woman says smoking pot "gives me a reprieve from this living nightmare" by suppressing her pain without relying solely on morphine, which leaves her "lifeless." "When I smoke marijuana, I feel normal. I can express myself and be the person I want," she said at a Senate committee hearing last month. Poonam Alaigh, the state health commissioner and a doctor, also says she has seen the value of medicinal marijuana. One patient suffering from severe nerve pain recently confided to her he has been using pot in addition to prescription painkillers and feels remarkably better. [continues 1529 words]
TRENTON -- Six nonprofit companies would be allowed to grow and sell medical marijuana but patients would not get home delivery service under an accord Gov. Chris Christie announced Friday that may avert a delay in the program's July launch. The agreement could scuttle a move by the Democratic-controlled Legislature to repeal Christie's rules he had said were necessary to prevent the drug from being abused by recreational users. "I have never been opposed to the program. . .or the idea that medical marijuana is available to those truly in need," Christie said. "My entire argument all along was to put together a program that avoids the pitfalls of California and Colorado and was medical-based and responsive." [continues 514 words]
Six nonprofit companies would be allowed to grow and sell medical marijuana but patients would not get home delivery service under an accord Gov. Chris Christie announced Friday that may avert a delay in the program's July launch. The agreement could scuttle a move by the Democratic-controlled Legislature to repeal Christie's rules he had said were necessary to prevent the drug from being abused recreational users. "I have never been opposed to the program ... or the idea that medical marijuana is available to those truly in need," Christie said. "My entire argument all along was to put together a program that avoids the pitfalls of California and Colorado and was medical-based and responsive." [continues 516 words]
TRENTON - Six nonprofit companies would be allowed to grow and sell medical marijuana but patients would not get home delivery service under an accord Gov. Chris Christie announced Friday that may avert a delay in the program's July launch. The agreement could scuttle a move by the Democratic-controlled Legislature to repeal Christie's rules he had said were necessary to prevent the drug from being abused by recreational users. "I have never been opposed to the program ... or the idea that medical marijuana is available to those truly in need, Christie said. "My entire argument all along was to put together a program that avoids the pitfalls of California and Colorado and was medical-based and responsive. [continues 515 words]
A standoff between Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and advocates for medical marijuana has ended in a compromise that could put marijuana on the market for seriously ill patients by next summer. The new regulations, announced on Friday, would provide for six growing and distribution sites for medical marijuana in various parts of the state. The governor had wanted to limit the number of growers to two and distribution sites to four. But among the states that allow it, New Jersey would become the only one to limit the amount of psychotropic chemical permitted in the marijuana. [continues 302 words]
There is a new concern for parents of New Jersey teens: imitation marijuana that is being legally sold in the state to anyone of any age. More alarming is the fact that this synthetic drug -- marketed as incense -- comes with some dangerous side effects. At Sunrise Detox in Stirling, we have tracked nearly a dozen states that are considering a ban on this alleged incense, commonly referred to as "K2," a concoction of chemicals that turn herbs into synthetic marijuana. K2, also known as "Spice," "Mr. Smiley," "Genie," and "Zohai," is widely available in New Jersey "head shops," convenience stores and online. Most of it is shipped to the Garden State from Korea and China, where workers spray herbs and spices with a synthetic compound similar to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. [continues 573 words]
The state Senate on Monday postponed a scheduled vote on a measure that would force Gov. Chris Christie to ease some of the restrictions his administration has placed on implementation of the state's medical marijuana law. A vote still is expected in early December, but Christie on Monday reiterated his own refusal to amend the restrictions, saying they're necessary to prevent the kinds of abuses of the law seen elsewhere that would result in "de facto legalization of marijuana." [continues 300 words]
As a Colorado citizen, I'm disappointed Gov. Chris Christie decided to speak negatively about the present medical cannabis (marijuana) laws in my state (Christie: Medical pot rules are a must, Nov. 26, 2010) which work properly to protect sick citizens from overzealous government. Those, "doctors parachuted into the situation" are a godsend to many citizens whose doctors are afraid of the federal government and refuse to recommend cannabis. Christie is a prohibitionist at heart and will do anything to thwart the will of voters with disregard to the needs of sick citizens. The needs of sick citizens should come before the needs of prohibitionists. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie said he will fight to prevent his administration's proposed medical marijuana regulations from going up in smoke, despite pressure from state lawmakers to make changes. The governor said he fears watering down the rules would essentially create "a de facto legalization of marijuana" in New Jersey. Changes here could lead to duplicating flawed medical marijuana systems in place in California and Colorado, Christie said during a press conference on Tuesday. There are currently a total of 13 states that allow medical pot. [continues 518 words]
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie said he will fight to prevent his administration's proposed medical marijuana regulations from going up in smoke, despite pressure from state lawmakers to make changes. The governor said he fears watering down the rules would essentially create ""a de facto legalization of marijuana" in New Jersey. Changes here could lead to duplicating flawed medical marijuana systems in place in California and Colorado, Christie said during a press conference on Tuesday. There are currently a total of 13 states that allow medical marijuana. [continues 518 words]
The New Jersey Health Department feels it necessary to cap the THC content of medical marijuana at 10 percent to prevent patients from getting "addicted." Because it contains THC, which can make you high, marijuana is classified by the DEA as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Meanwhile, 100 percent pure synthetic THC, marketed under the brand name Marinol, is listed as a Schedule III drug, meaning it has a currently accepted medical use and a low to moderate potential for abuse. Marinol may be prescribed by doctors and is available at pharmacies throughout the Garden State. I would love to hear the Health Department explain the logic behind this. Anders Froehlich SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. [end]
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie said he will fight to prevent his administration's proposed medical marijuana regulations from going up in smoke, despite pressure from state lawmakers to make changes. The governor said he fears watering down the rules would essentially create "a de facto legalization of marijuana" in New Jersey. Changes here could lead to duplicating flawed medical marijuana systems in place in California and Colorado, Christie said last week. Thirteen states allow medical pot. "We're not going to have a head shop in every town and quack doctors writing prescriptions for people with headaches to get marijuana," Christie said. "That's not going to happen on my watch." [continues 483 words]
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie said he'll fight to prevent his administration's proposed medical marijuana regulations from going up in smoke, despite pressure from state lawmakers to make changes. The governor said he fears watering down the rules would essentially create "a de facto legalization of marijuana" in New Jersey. Changes here could lead to duplicating flawed medical marijuana systems in place in California and Colorado, Christie said during a press conference Tuesday. There are currently a total of 13 states that allow medical pot. [continues 516 words]
More than four distribution sites, no artificial THC caps, with medical marijuana in New Jersey. No doubt, Gov. Chris Christie, his health and senior services commissioner and plenty of New Jersey residents don't want New Jersey's allowance of marijuana for specific medical uses to open the door to widespread, open recreational marijuana use in this state. That is understandable. The bill our Legislature approved in January was not intended to transform New Jersey into California, where basically anyone who wants marijuana can easily get it. [continues 693 words]
New Jersey is having a devil of a time trying to provide very sick people with the comfort medical marijuana can provide, and that is a shame. As long as the debate ensues, those who need the drug are not going to get it. The state Legislature passed and outgoing governor, Jon Corzine, signed a bill in January clearing the use of pot for medicinal purposes. New Jersey was breaking no new ground here; 13 other states do this. The bill's passage followed personal appeals before the Legislature from very ill people, many of whom admitted to smoking pot illegally to make their last days as bearable as possible. [continues 378 words]
Libertarian Sues Readington Twp. to Find Out READINGTON TWP. -- An open government advocate has filed suit against the township for its refusal to give him information he says should be public. An attorney representing John Paff, chairman of the state Libertarian Party's Open Government Advocacy Project, filed the suit in Superior Court after township officials refused to tell Paff how much money township police seized in a drug arrest. Paff sought the information under the state Open Public Records Act and the common law right of access. [continues 241 words]
Cannabis Proponents Come Out of the Shadows, Put Heads Together Wantage -- When Prohibition was repealed, mailmen used Mack trucks to haul the applications for liquor licenses over to City Hall. The "green rush" that's about to happen in New Jersey, which recently became the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana, will be on a smaller scale, thanks to a $20,000 price tag for a growers license and a laundry list of restrictions. Darrell Milligan, 38 -- who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, two torn labrums and constant muscle spasms -- and his fledgling Sussex County nonprofit North Jersey Compassionate Care are determined to secure one of the six state licenses to be issued shortly by the state Department of Health and Senior Services. Eight people, aged 23 to 71, showed up for the group's second meeting, Nov. 3 at the Sussex-Wantage Library. That was five more than showed up to the group's first meeting, a month before. [continues 1071 words]
Inside New Jersey
