TRENTON - When it was passed by the Legislature and signed into law it was called the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. Three years later it's hard to find the compassion. The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey brought its appeal to media at the Statehouse, where activist/patient Jay Lassiter spoke the obvious: "New Jersey's medical marijuana program is not where it should be three years into its implementation." He called it "over-regulated, over-taxed and inaccessible" for patients in the lower two-thirds of the state. This might be just another story in government incompetence except for the people in need. In many cases they are terminally ill. [continues 810 words]
It's time we leave medical decisions up to medical personnel, since there is nothing in their makeup that equips bureaucrats to understand the needs of people in distress. New Jersey released proposed regulations for medical marijuana use and the emphasis is not on helping the chronically and terminally ill. Certainly, we don't want a law meant to help the needy used as a way to get pot for fun, but adjustments have to be made. Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, shares the concern. He sponsored the legislation and has a problem with changes made after his bill was signed into law. "I don't want them rewriting my law," he told a reporter. "That's not right." [continues 578 words]
TRENTON -- It's time we leave medical decisions up to medical personnel, since there is nothing in their makeup that equips bureaucrats to understand the needs of people in distress. New Jersey released proposed regulations for medical marijuana use and the emphasis is not on helping the chronically and terminally ill. Certainly, we don't want a law meant to help the needy used as a way to get pot for fun, but adjustments have to be made. State Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, shares the concern. He sponsored the legislation and has a problem with changes made after his bill was signed into law. "I don't want them rewriting my law," he told a reporter. "That's not right." [continues 597 words]