Medical Marijuana Clears Senate in N.J.

Medical Marijuana Clears Senate in N.J.
March 3, 2009

News Summary

Medical use of marijuana could soon be legal in New Jersey after the state Senate voted to allow residents to use the drug to treat a variety of illnesses, the Gloucester County Times reported Feb. 24.

The Senate voted 22-16 in favor of a measure sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari, who said that medical-marijuana users "are not criminals, and it does not behoove us as a society to treat them as such."

If approved by the legislature, the measure would allow residents who obtain a doctor's permission to use marijuana for medical reasons and possess up to six marijuana plants and one ounce of usable marijuana. The state would issue ID cards to medical users.

Opponents said that the bill language was so loose that almost any medical condition would qualify for medical use of marijuana, and that the FDA should approve the drug before the state allows its use as medicine.

The measure goes next to the state Assembly for consideration; New Jersey Gov. John Corzine has already said he would sign the bill. If he does, New Jersey would become the 14th state to allow legal use of medical marijuana.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by jrzshor on 03 Mar 09 03:07 PM EST

sorry but i might be a slow on this. i am too ill and thus need mj to help me. i am allowed to grow six plants for the things that ill me. so if i am so ill how do i take care of six mj plants that need a lot of attention to detail to grow really really potent mj?

Posted by Jon Gettel on 03 Mar 09 07:17 PM EST

JRZSHOR- If you are to ill to grow your own medicine, A generous caregiver will do it for you. Fortunately, if you are moderately ill, gardening can be a great way to get a little exercise and have fun!

Posted by Tommy on 03 Mar 09 07:24 PM EST

does the FDA-approval delay have anything to do with big business/money? It seems to me that they gladly approve MANY drugs that then, accidentally or not, kill thousands of people. Yet, they don't seem to be able to approve medical marijuana, a plant that may not have ever killed anyone. Does that make any sense? Don't get me wrong: I do believe that mj is abused as a recreational drug, but so are many other more lethal substances, especially prescription drugs that the FDA approves every year.

Posted by maxwood on 03 Mar 09 09:18 PM EST

Well said, Tommy. Now try this: many of those sometimes lethal prescription medications that kill up to 100,000 a year/USA, according to some sources, are prescribed for blood pressure and other conditions resulting from long-term tobacco cigarette addiction. If cannabis is legalized, will tobacco sales (and those of meth, speed, crack, smack etc.) crash? What will the govt. do for tax money? How will Big Pharma replace the lost drug profits?

Posted by bonnie on 09 Mar 09 10:26 AM EDT

I think Tommy is probably referring to the legal opioids that are getting more people addicted and killing more people than cocaine and Heroin combined. Who cares about the lost drug profits to big pharmaceuticals who are PROFITING from creating addicts in record numbers??? Purdue pharma. made $ 1.2 billion the very first year they shoved Oxycontin down our throats! What's more important here - loss of $$$ or loss of lives - mostly of our young people, who are the true victims of an industry that has convinced a general public that these drugs are "safe" to use for pain, thus have created an epidemic of opiate overuse and abuse. This is truly just another example of big business selling out the people in this country for the almighty dollar! And unfortunately for all of us, we bought into it - simply by not asking the pertinent questions and blindly accepting their word for it - including the FDA's. Read "The New Opium Epidemic" at media.novusdetox.com/dependence.php?include=137703

Posted by Jon on 10 Mar 09 10:44 AM EDT

What we tell our children encourages illicit use of other substances. When they find out that we lied about the "dangers" of marijuana kids often feel more comfortable experimenting with much more dangerous drugs. if we lied about marijuanawhat about the substances we have told them were equally as destructive. It is the same with sex education, When you tell a child he will get a disease if he/she does not use protection and their sex organs don't fall off the first time they have unprotected sex, every other thing you have told them is thrown into doubt. That is how annecdotal evidence becomes so prevalent for so many children.

Posted by John Tanner on 11 Mar 09 02:03 PM EDT

Medicines require FDA approval based on research. Why make an exception for marijuana? It has become clear that heavy marijuana use in adolescence increases risk of schizophrenia by more than a factor of 3 in susceptible persons. The smoke may be as harmful as tobacco smoke. Any mind altering substance should be looked on with suspicion.

Posted by Bob on 13 Apr 09 02:25 PM EDT

marijuana has been proven time and time again to help with many different ailments. My wife has multiple sclerosis and as such has serious problems with her eyes, and marijuana helps. I wonder Mr. Tanner that if someone close to you had a debilitating disease if you would feel the same about this natural plant? Who is the FDA or any other agency to tell me or my family what we can do in our own homes...especially if one has a major illness such as MS? Just for the record, I personally do not smoke marijuana, but I know of many others who benefit from it's effects. Also, since it's legal in 13 other states maybe someone knows something the FDA doesn't.

Posted by Ken Wolski, RN on 16 Apr 09 11:14 PM EDT

FDA approval is an impossible precondition for medical marijuana. You might have as well say, "I'll accept marijuana is medicine when pigs fly." FDA approval would take about 15 years and approximately $250 million, if the DEA ever stopped obstructing access to medical grade marijuana and if we ever found some org. willing to spend that kind of money that they would never hope to get back the way pharmaceutical companies do with patented medicines.

Posted by Richard on 10 May 09 08:31 PM EDT

I'm not going to hold my breath, the right wingers in NJ will never let it happen, with all the drug companies here,loose all that revenue from all their deadly drugs... no way

Posted by Albert, Paramedic micp on 12 May 09 03:24 AM EDT

I'm so happy that our state leaders are going forward with this. Too many people have been hurt by the law when they are just trying to help themselves live a better life. Taking strong meds for pain is a slow killer for both body and mind. This is a gift from god to us, and it helps in so many ways. The bottom line is, less pain, less Doctor visits, less 911 calls, trust in goverment for finaly getting it right, and the right to a pain free life for both body and mind without being a criminal. Remember the governments line, marijuana turns people into killers and rapists. Then kids try it and find out the government is a joke, then try harder drugs, we all know how that goes, not good. Let's regulate it, wipe out the dealers who almost always sell the hard drugs also, and live happier pain and depression free lives.

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