How do I become a medical marijuana patient in New Jersey?

Now that the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA) has passed into law, patients are asking when and how they can start using medical marijuana. This is a quick review of the law, timeline and other issues. Remember, this is our understanding of the bill. We will all have to wait until the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) puts out explicit rules and regulations associated with the CUMMA to have a full understanding of the medical marijuana process. We will post updates as we get more information.

What conditions are eligible for medical marijuana?

1) One of the following conditions, if resistant to conventional medical therapy: seizure disorder, including epilepsy, intractable skeletal muscular spasticity or glaucoma;

2) one of the following, if severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia, or wasting syndrome results from the condition or treatment thereof: positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or cancer;

3) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, terminal cancer, muscular dystrophy, or inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease ;

4) terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life; or

5) any other medical condition or its treatment that is approved by the DHSS by regulation.

Note the last provision. Even if your serious medical condition is not yet covered, it can be added by the DHSS.

When can I get medical marijuana?

This is our current understanding of the timeline for patient ID cards and the formation of Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs):

CUMMA passed into law 1/18/10. Usually reliable State House sources say regs will be out in 3 mos. (April) and the program running in 6 (July). No real info before that.

So the earliest possible time to be able to go to an ATC is July. However, if the ATCs have to start growing marijuana on that date, it may be another three months or so before the medicine is ready.

Where do I get medical marijuana?

The CUMMA does not allow patients to cultivate marijuana. Instead they will have to register with an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) and receive it there. Initially there will be 6 non-profit ATCs. Patients will likely have to compensate the ATC for the cost of production of the marijuana.

How do I get a medical marijuana “prescription”?

When the program is running, you must apply for and receive a “registry identity card” from DHSS for your qualifying condition. Your doctor writes a “certification”. You take your registry card and the certification to an ATC to receive the medical marijuana.

Begin a discussion with your doctor NOW

Have as much in place as possible before the law takes effect. Begin a dialogue with your physician now. Discuss why you think you need marijuana for your condition. See what your doctor says. If he agrees, fine. Ask him/her if he would please make note of that in your chart.

If he disagrees, ask him why? Is it his unfamiliarity with marijuana? Or his belief that the risks outweigh the benefits? Ask him if you can present him with some research findings that support your belief (See ASA and NORML links at http://cmmnj.org/ and the Patients Out of Time link below), then do so. Discuss this with any specialist you might be involved with. Ask him/her if he would please make note of that in your chart. Perhaps get a second opinion.

If he says he has to wait for the law, remember, the law is only partially the issue. The real issue is your need for marijuana as part of your therapy, and a physician agreeing to that. The law is very restrictive and many patients who could benefit will find themselves not qualified under the law. But they may become qualified as doctors and patients request the addition of new conditions to the DHSS regulations.

Info for Docs and nurses: The law offers significant protection to doctors who make medical marijuana “certifications” (recommendations) . There are numerous scientific papers available showing the utility of medical marijuana that many doctors may want to review. We will be putting up links to these papers. Doctors and nurses can also receive information at the upcoming Patients Out of Time Clinical Conference April 15-17 http://www.medicalcannabis.com/Clinical-Conferences/2010-upcoming-conference and the NJ State Nurses Association INPAC Breakfast on Feb. 4 http://www.njsna.org/

Judge Reed: Don't put John Wilson in prison

Edward R. Hannaman, Esq.
Ewing, New Jersey 08618

January 21, 2010

Hon. Robert B. Reed, JSC
PO Box 3000
Somerville, New Jersey 08876-1262

Re: John Wilson Sentencing

Dear Judge Reed:

As a Board member of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, I am intensely interested in justice for medical marijuana patient John Wilson. The prosecution’s unjustified adherence to the letter of the law caused it to subvert the law’s true intent. A multiple sclerosis patient using marijuana for medical relief was never the intended target of a law prohibiting drug dealers from growing marijuana for profit. Thus, John should not have been charged under a statute with this level of severity. A proper and humane prosecution would have recognized that this statutory prohibition was not aimed at patients-as two leading legislators publicly pointed out.

Other lesser charges were available to the prosecution but it chose to treat a patient as a major drug kingpin. Had the county prosecutor handled this case, it is probable that John would now be in pre-trial intervention. The State Gangs and Organized Crime Unit however deliberately ignored virtually all the pertinent facts about John’s growing of marijuana. In addition it ignored the facts that John harmed no one, had no intent to harm anyone and did not act in any way to which the criminal law would attribute culpability as potentially harming anyone. The court should not compound the prosecution’s cruel misapplication of the criminal statutes by inflicting unjust and undeserved punishment on John Wilson. He already suffers punishment enough from multiple sclerosis.

Others have written to you to document the beneficial effects of marijuana for those suffering from this cruel, incurable disease. Its use as an effective affordable palliative is beyond question-especially to a person without steady work or medical insurance. At this juncture, the question is not simply the appropriate punishment for violation of a specific statute. Rather, the question is what sentence fits a defendant in John’s condition, using a substance purely for medicinal relief and doing so at this point in the law’s evolution.

None of the accepted rationales for incarceration apply in this case. John is obviously not a danger to society so there is no reason to separate him from it. There is no need for punishment in order to deter him. Deterrence became moot on January 18;the day the Governor signed the Compassionate Use Bill into law. Marijuana use is now a legally recognized right for patients with John’s condition. Even without this law, however, John’s imprisonment would have been unlikely to deter others as seriously ill as he. Such users already face a worse punishment from their disease. Marijuana use for patients like John is not a lifestyle choice but, rather, one borne of medical necessity. Fortunately, we stand at a moment when society has finally accepted that
punishing patients for using marijuana as a medicine is an outmoded, cruel approach with no place in law enforcement. Cases like John’s do not belong in a court but in a doctor’s office. Imprisonment here would be an atrocity to justice now that the State has formally recognized that even the prosecution of people like John is a perversion of criminal law.

By growing his own medication, John did not engage in the drug trade and he did not seek to profit in any way- only to ease his suffering. There is no reason a humane civilized society should exact retributive punishment for John’s act of self-preservation. Notably, the law accepts
justification as a defense for seriously inflicting harm on another-even killing them if necessary to protect one’s own life or that of another. How can a system that excuses the killing of another justify imprisoning a person for saving his own life while harming no other?

John is now eligible to become a legally recognized medical marijuana patient. He does not deserve to be sentenced to imprisonment as a drug manufacturer. Basic justice demands that John not be martyred to a law already recognized as inapplicable to him. In this case, the only just response is probation.

Certainly passing sentence in a case like this presents a dilemma. Does this court seek to do actual justice for this defendant or simply impose prescribed punishments for the statute’s intended targets? Does the court act in accordance with the clear intent of the law or not? John is a patient who is morally blameless and whose actions the law has subsequently vindicated. If there is to be the unnecessary cruelty of an order of imprisonment - let it come from the appellate court. Let its members bear the injustice on their consciences. One thing is certain; the sentence imposed will either worsen John’s suffering probably shortening his life, or allow him a fair chance to battle his disease.

A just sentence here comports with the true intent of the law under all the facts of this case; a sentence that recognizes John deserves treatment as a patient, not imprisonment as a criminal.

Very truly yours,



Edward R. Hannaman, Esq.

NJ Medical Marijuana Bill Signed Into Law

Now We Are the 14th Medical Marijuana State!

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/medical_marijuana_law_to_take.html

N.J. medical marijuana law signed by Gov. Corzine

By Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau

January 18, 2010, 8:00PM

TRENTON -- Gov. Jon Corzine tonight signed a measure making New Jersey the 14th state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, part of a flurry of bills the Democrat penned in his last full day on the job.

The governor stayed out of sight in his Newark office as the Statehouse was readied for Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who takes office at noon Tuesday.

“I have enormous gratitude to the people of New Jersey for this decade of opportunity to serve,” said Corzine, a U.S. Senator before becoming governor. He has not revealed his future plans.

The marijuana bill (S119) is expected to take effect in six months. Only patients with specific illnesses would be permitted to get a prescription: cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, seizure disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gherig’s disease), severe muscle spasms, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and any terminal illness if a doctor has determined the patient will die within a year.

The law allows the state health department to include other illnesses when it writes rules implementing it.

The law has other restrictions, such as forbidding people from growing their own marijuana, ensuring it is dispensed through licensed “alternate treatment centers,” and requiring designated caretakers who retrieve the drug on behalf of someone severely ill to undergo criminal background checks

When will Corzine sign the medical marijuana bill?

I have been getting anxious inquiries asking when the bill will be signed.

I have no official information on this, but "people who know" say Corzine will sign the bill Tuesday morning ( Jan. 19).

VIDEO: NJ HIV patient on medical marijuana bill passing

Video from Jay Lassiter of bluejersey.com

NJ: Medical marijuana law offers new centralized approach

by Chris Goldstein - New Jersey will try a new approach for a medical marijuana program. Already allowed in 13 states and recently in the District of Columbia, regulated cannabis access has been put in place elsewhere with a network of caregivers, cultivators and compassion centers. But in New Jersey the entire process would be centralized in an innovative way. The new model needs to work because unlike the 13 other states, NJ residents will not be allowed to grow their own marijuana.

The Legislature passed The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act on 1/11/2010. Outgoing Governor Jon Corzine is expected to sign the bill into law very soon. Advocates predict that by the end of 2010 patients will be able to register and access legal medical cannabis.

The bill states that the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) must promulgate rules for the patient/caregiver registry system along with a permit process and regulations for the Alternative Treatment Centers. Those rules must be created within six months, expect to see them around July 2010.

After those rules are issued, patients can register and ATC’s can begin to be authorized. So how will it work?

NJ Medical Marijuana process
Step 1 – Doctor and Patient consultation
Step 2 – Application to the program
Step 3 - Registry card issued (A single caregiver per patient may now apply)
Step 4 – Note for 30-day supply, determined by physician, up to 2oz every month
Step 5 – Patient or Caregiver go to Alternative Treatment Center to access marijuana
Step 6 – Doctor must re-authorize monthly supply every 30-90 days

New Jersey’s new model for dispensing medical marijuana will see Alternative Treatment Centers required to grow, cure and produce all marijuana products (such as edible preparations) as well as dispense the cannabis on a single site. An ATC would also be allowed to sell marijuana consumption devices such as pipes and vaporizers.

This would create the most comprehensive medical marijuana production facilities outside of the federal government’s program at the University of Mississippi. In other states groups of cultivators send their marijuana to dispensaries or compassion centers.
READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE

Chris Goldstein has been actively working on medical marijuana in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He can be reached for media requests media@cmmnj.org

CMMNJ note to potential medical marijuana non-profits

CMMNJ has received many emails this week from those who wish to open an Alternative Treatment Center in New Jersey to serve patients in a medical marijuana program. This has been our reply:

The “New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act"A804/ S119 was approved by the state legislature on 01/11/10.

When it is signed into law by Governor Corzine, it will remove the state-wide penalties for the possession, and use of up to two ounces of marijuana when a New Jersey licensed physician recommends it for one of the qualifying medical conditions.

Qualifying medical conditions include cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, etc. The physician must have an on-going responsibility for the patient’s condition. Patients will be issued ID cards in a program run by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Patients may designate a caregiver to assist them with obtaining and using the marijuana. The caregiver must also register with DHSS.

The marijuana will be obtained from Alternative Treatment Centers which will be set up in the north, central and southern parts of the state, with two Centers in each region to start. The Centers will be tightly regulated by the DHSS and the Department of Law and Public Safety, which will monitor the amount of marijuana dispensed at these Centers, much as it now monitors the way Scheduled narcotics are dispensed. New Jersey will be unique among the 14 medical marijuana states in that only the Garden State will prohibit home cultivation of medical marijuana.

Specific information about how to apply to the Department of Health to become an Alternative Treatment Centers will probably not be available until June or September of 2010.

For more info, join the CMMNJ mailing list for monthly updates on the latest info as it becomes available. Visit: www.cmmnj.org

CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, provides education about the benefits of safe and legal access to medical marijuana. Donations are income tax deductible. Help us to continue our mission with your generous financial support.

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org
219 Woodside Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08618
ohamkrw@aol.com

NJ Star-Ledger Video: Lawmakers approve bill legalizing medical marijuana

New Jersey state Assembly approved medical marijuana bill

NJ Assemblymembers Reed Gusciora and Dr. Joan Voss

REMINDER- CMMNJ meeting 1/12/2010

CMMNJ Monthly Public Meeting
Lawrence Township Library
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Join us!

New Jersey legislature approves medical marijuana; Governor to sign it into law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Ken @ (609) 394-2137

New Jersey legislature approves medical marijuana; Governor to sign it into law

WHO: The New Jersey State Legislature
WHAT: Approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (S119/A804)
WHEN: Monday, 01/11/10
WHERE: The New Jersey State House in Trenton, NJ
WHY: To protect seriously ill New Jersey patients who use marijuana with the certification of a NJ licensed physician

The New Jersey State Assembly and Senate approved the “New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" (A804/S119) on Monday, January 11, 2010 in separate voting sessions in Trenton. Governor Jon Corzine is expected to sign the legislation into law this week. New Jersey will become the 14th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana. The bill was originally introduced in January, 2005 by Senator Nick Scutari. Many supporters of the bill attended the voting sessions, led by the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ). CMMNJ Executive Director, Ken Wolski, RN said, “We are grateful that the legislators finally acknowledged that marijuana is medicine and that patients in New Jersey who use it with a doctor’s recommendation should not fear arrest and imprisonment. But this is really a national issue. New Jersey citizens should be able to travel anywhere in the country and use their medicine without fear of arrest. We are calling on the federal government to reschedule marijuana to a more appropriate schedule, and to protect New Jersey patients who need to travel outside the state.”

A804/ S119 will remove the state-wide penalties for the possession, and use of up to two ounces of marijuana when a New Jersey licensed physician recommends it for one of the qualifying medical conditions. Qualifying medical conditions include cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, etc. The physician must have an on-going responsibility for the patient’s condition. Patients will be issued ID cards in a program run by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Patients may designate a caregiver to assist them with obtaining and using the marijuana. The caregiver must also register with DHSS. The marijuana will be obtained from Alternative Treatment Centers which will be set up in the north, central and southern parts of the state, with two Centers in each region to start. The Centers will be tightly regulated by the DHSS and the Department of Law and Public Safety, which will monitor the amount of marijuana dispensed at these Centers, much as it now monitors the way Scheduled narcotics are dispensed. New Jersey will be unique among the 14 medical marijuana states in that only the Garden State will prohibit home cultivation of medical marijuana.

CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, provides education about the benefits of safe and legal access to medical marijuana. For more info, contact:

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618
609.394.2137 www.cmmnj.org ohamkrw@aol.com

NJ: Supporters gather for historic medical marijuana vote

WHEN: 12 Noon January 11, 2010 WHERE: Trenton, State House 100 W. State Street CONTACT: Ken Wolski ohamkrw@aol.com

NJ: Supporters gather for historic medical marijuana vote

Trenton – Patients and advocates are gathering on January 11, 2010 to witness an historic vote in the New Jersey legislature on medical cannabis. First introduced in 2005, The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act has bi-partisan support and is favored to pass. It would make NJ the 14th state to offer regulated medical cannabis access to those suffering from serious medical conditions.

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey (CMMNJ) and NORML-NJ are coordinating public support in Trenton. Patients, their families and supporters of medical marijuana are being asked to continue their email and telephone contacts with legislators urging them to vote ‘yes’ on the bill. CONTACT NOW

CMMNJ has reserved Committee Room # 9 on the 3rd Floor of the State House Annex for media relations and a patient rest area on Monday. Supporters are being asked to have a strong presence in front of the State House as well as within the Senate and Assembly chambers. Free stickers and buttons will be available, please dress in business attire.

A press conference is planned in the Rotunda area of the State House following the final votes, when they occur. Because of the nature of these last legislative sessions an exact time will not be available. Please keep checking the CMMNJ Blog at www.cmmnj.org for updates on 1/11/10.

The current language of The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act A804/S119 would implement the most tightly regulated medical marijuana program in the country. Local advocates are confident that the bill will benefit those suffering from some of the most serious medical conditions anyone must bear such as HIV/AIDS, Cancer, MS and ALS.

Medical marijuana is a concept that has significant public support in New Jersey with 86% of residents backing a state authorized program. Most of the major newspapers in the region have offered their editorial endorsement of the bill. Organizations such as the New Jersey State Nurses Association, The New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, The New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization along with other patient advocacy groups have strongly and consistently supported medical marijuana legislation in the state. More at www.cmmnj.org

Contacts and directions
Email NJ legislators about medical marijuana: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=12767456

Media may contact CMMNJ to speak with patients who would benefit from the program or for information about the bill:
Ken Wolski RN ohamkrw@aol.com 609 394 2137
Chris Goldstein activevoiceradio@gmail.com

Directions to the NJ State House in Trenton
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/directions.asp

Final plea for medical marijuana in New Jersey

1/8/2010

From: Chris Goldstein
Board of Directors, The Coalition for Medical Marijuana- NJ
executive Director of NORML-NJ

As someone who has advocated for safe medical marijuana access I am writing today to strongly urge you to vote 'Yes' in this final phase of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act A804/S119.

Please, vote ‘Yes’ to allow your fellow New Jersey residents to treat symptoms or diseases that are the most horrifying to face or relief at the end of life

Vote ‘Yes’ to stop the arrest of seriously ill and dying NJ residents who choose the scientifically proven therapy of marijuana. I have personally witnessed the awful impact that medical cannabis prohibition is having on those suffering, such as MS patient John Wilson in Somerset County.

Vote ‘Yes’ to allow the same access to medical cannabis that exists in 13 other states and has been allowed by Congress recently in the District of Columbia. While there has been media attention paid to a few of those states, many of our nation’s medical marijuana programs run as a quiet success for those who desperately need this therapy.

2009 was a year that saw a tangible shift by the federal government on medical marijuana. The Department of Justice asked US Attorneys not to spend their resources prosecuting state authorized medical marijuana patients, caregivers and facilities.

During my own interactions with elected officials on all levels and the public, reasonable questions arise when considering a medical cannabis program. The New Jersey Legislature has considered this bill since 2005 and has continually refined the language. The result in 2010 is pragmatic legislation that sought to best protect and serve patients’ needs.

The current language of The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act A804/S119 would implement the most restrictive and tightly regulated medical marijuana program in the country. As advocates, we are confident that the current bill will benefit those suffering from some of the most serious medical conditions anyone must bear such as HIV/AIDS, Cancer, MS and ALS.

Medical marijuana is a concept that has significant public support, with 86% of residents favoring a state authorized program. Most major newspapers in the region have offered their editorial endorsement of the New Jersey bill. Organizations such as the New Jersey State Nurses Association, The New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, The New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization along with other patient advocacy groups have strongly and consistently endorsed this medical marijuana legislation.

Please keep in mind that many NJ residents are indeed supporting the medical cannabis effort from the confines of their homes, hospital beds or hospice care facilities. Those who may directly benefit from an authorized access program in New Jersey have reached out to you to tell their stories and ask for your support. Thousands of calls, emails and postcards have been sent in from every area of the state.

I would ask that you review the compelling and even heartbreaking public testimony offered to the Senate and Assembly committees by these patients. These residents have had the courage to tell you the truth about the benefits of medical marijuana for their conditions, offering as much information as possible with advocates and medical experts.

Our plea is to allow safe, regulated access to this proven treatment and to stop making refugees or criminals of the sick and dying who legitimately seek relief from medical marijuana. In no uncertain terms; your support on January 11th will benefit those who suffer the most in NJ.

Please, vote ‘Yes” on Monday for The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act S119/A804.

Sincerely,

Chris Goldstein

Medical marijuana bill's restrictions opposed

"...to allow patients to produce their own medicine and individually adjust the dosage to control their symptoms, safely, under medical supervision...will produce tremendous savings both to the patient and to the state...(and) will refocus the health care industry away from the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance industry and back towards the patient, where the focus of health care belongs."

Medical marijuana bill's restrictions opposed

The "New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" was introduced in 2005 by Senator Scutari (D-Linden), and Assemblymen Gusciora (D-Princeton) and Carroll (R-Morris). This bill would remove the statewide penalties for possession, use and cultivation of a small amount of marijuana when it is recommended by a doctor. The bill had informational hearings in the Senate in June 2006, and in the Assembly in May 2008. Every major newspaper in New Jersey had editorially endorsed this bill. The bill also picked up key endorsements from health care organizations such as the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, the New Jersey League for Nursing, the New Jersey chapters of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the New Jersey State Nurses Association. Polls showed the New Jersey public supported this bill with approval ratings between 70% and 86%. The bill picked up a total of 11 co-sponsors in the Assembly and 8 in the Senate.

On December 15, 2008, the New Jersey Senate Health Committee conducted a hearing and then voted 6 – 1 in favor of “The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act” (S119) as amended. The amendments established Alternative Treatment Centers that resembled collective gardens, where patients owned the marijuana plants and reimbursed the Centers for the cost of producing the medicine. The favorable committee vote allowed the bill to be released to the full senate for a vote.

On February 23, 2009, the full New Jersey State Senate approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" (S119) by a vote of 22 – 16. Qualifying medical conditions included chronic pain, cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, etc. Patients would be issued ID cards in a program run by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Patients would be permitted to grow up to six plants and possess one ounce of marijuana, but they would not be permitted to use their therapeutic marijuana in public or while operating motor vehicles. Patients were given the option to designate a caregiver or an Alternative Treatment Center to grow the plants for them, but the caregiver/center must also register with DHSS. The bill was very conservative. None of the 13 medical marijuana states had a smaller plant limit or possession amount. Still, supporters were convinced that the bill would help a tremendous number of patients here and they applauded the senators who supported this bill.

The bill would next go to the New Jersey Assembly, the lower house, for votes in the health committee and then the entire assembly. On June 4, 2009 the New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee passed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act 8 - 1, forwarding the bill to the full Assembly for a vote. The Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc. is grateful to the assembly health committee for passing the "New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act” A804/S119 on to the entire assembly, however, CMMNJ objects to the substitutions added by the committee. The committee’s substitutions to this bill are overly restrictive and they possibly render the bill unworkable.

The assembly health committee’s substitutions:
• Remove the provision for qualified patients to grow their own supply of marijuana;
• Place severe and unnecessary restrictions on physician recommendations;
• Deny access to the largest population of patients, those suffering from chronic pain; and,
• Arbitrarily limit patient access to one ounce of marijuana per month.

Having qualified patients or their caregivers grow a limited supply of marijuana on a physician’s recommendation is part of the program of all thirteen states that have passed these laws. Nor does this patient access result in greater recreational use of marijuana-—one of the fears the committee was apparently addressing. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration studies show that teenage marijuana use has declined in eight of ten medical marijuana states between 1999 and 2006. Marijuana use by AIDS patients and cancer patients deglamorizes its use for teenagers. It is not something they want to emulate. Moreover, for the past 30 years, the Monitoring the Future surveys have shown that over 80% of high school seniors in New Jersey have said that marijuana is “very easy to obtain” or “fairly easy to obtain.” Instituting a medical marijuana program simply cannot increase availability to teens and almost certainly will result in decreased teen use. Another study by Texas A&M University shows that adult use of marijuana has remained steady in medical marijuana states. As further proof that these programs are working well, about a dozen other states, besides New Jersey, have legislation or ballot initiatives pending that will allow qualified patients to grow their own medical marijuana.

It is a wonderful advance in American health care to allow patients to produce their own medicine and individually adjust the dosage to control their symptoms, safely, under medical supervision. This will produce tremendous savings both to the patient and to the state. This will also refocus the healt hcare industry away from the pharmaceutical industry and the health insurance industry and back towards the patient, where the focus of health care belongs.

The restrictions the assembly health committee placed on physicians are at odds with current medical practices in America and may well render the law unworkable. Physicians specialize. If you break an ankle, your doctor sends you to the ankle doctor. But if you need marijuana therapy, your treating physician would be unable to send you to a doctor who specializes in marijuana therapy, according to the health committee. Physicians are wisely reluctant to recommend a treatment unless they have had specialized training or experience in that treatment. Because of this, even otherwise qualified patients will do without proper treatment. It would not be without precedent for the New Jersey legislature to pass an unworkable medical marijuana bill. In 1981, the “Dangerous Substances Therapeutic Research Act” passed into law here. This law was written to protect patients who engaged in
clinical trials of marijuana. To this day, not a single patient has ever been able to take advantage of this law.

The assembly health committee also said that only New Jersey licensed physicians could recommend marijuana to their patients. If a New Jersey patient sought treatment in New York City or Philadelphia, that patient would not be protected. Nor could out-of-state medical marijuana patients safely visit friends or relatives, or even vacation in New Jersey.

The assembly substitutions acknowledge that “marijuana may alleviate pain or other symptoms associated with certain debilitating medical conditions.” But then it eliminates chronic pain as a qualifying condition for marijuana therapy except in rare cases. Nearly half of all current physician recommendations for marijuana therapy are for chronic pain. About one in five Americans suffer from chronic pain from a wide variety of diseases like arthritis and conditions like accidents and injuries. Some of the most rigorous studies, studies using the gold standard of scientific research (the double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial) have established the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana in pain management. It is simply unfair to restrict the greatest number of New Jersey patients from access to medical marijuana.

The Assembly Health Committee also arbitrarily determined that every qualified patient should be limited to only one ounce of marijuana a month. There is no scientific basis for this limitation. In fact, the federal government, in its Investigational New Drug (IND) program provides patients with two ounces of marijuana per week. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) sends this standard dose of marijuana, about a half-pound a month, to the patients enrolled in this program in canisters of 300 pre-rolled cigarettes that may be consumed at a rate of ten or more a day. NIDA has been doing this for up to 27 years. This long-term dosage has proven to be safe and effective, with no unacceptable side effects. For legislators to set this arbitrary one ounce limit is akin to saying, “We know you need antibiotics, but we’re only going to let you have one pill a day. Never mind what your doctor says, and never mind how you are responding to this therapy.”

The senate version of the "New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act” A804/S119 does not contain the assembly health committee’s substitutions. CMMNJ recommends that this version of the bill should pass into law. This will ensure a workable, cost-effective, and proven program for qualified patients, that is, at the same time, extremely conservative. Let’s make sure that the intent of this bill is not undone by undue restrictions.


Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org
609.394.2137 ohamkrw@aol.com

CMMNJ Year End Report—2009

There has been an explosion of interest and support for medical marijuana in 2009, not only in New Jersey, but in the entire region as well. Pennsylvania and Delaware both introduced medical marijuana bills into their legislatures in 2009. Indeed, New Jersey stands on the verge of passing into law the “New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.” The current, two-year legislative session ends in mid-January, 2010. It is hoped that the bill will become law by then; otherwise it will be re-introduced in the next legislative session.

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization, incorporated in the State of New Jersey. In 2009, CMMNJ held twelve monthly meetings at the public library in Lawrence Township, NJ. There, Board members and volunteers planned a number of events and educational programs. CMMNJ sent the agenda and minutes of these meetings via e-mail to approximately 2000 supporters each month.

Highlights of the year include:
• The New Jersey State Senate approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act" (S119) on February 23, 2009 by a vote of 22 – 16 in the State House Senate Chambers in Trenton, NJ. The senate vote was a significant step in the legislative process to protect patients who use marijuana on the recommendation of a physician. The bill would next go to the New Jersey Assembly, the lower house, for votes in the health committee and entire assembly. Governor Jon Corzine has said on several occasions that he supports medical marijuana and that he will sign the bill when it gets to his desk. New Jersey would become the 14th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana if it passes this legislation into law. S119 was originally introduced by Senator Nicholas Scutari, D-Linden, in January 2005.
• The New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee passed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act 8 - 1 with two abstentions on 6/4/09, forwarding the bill to the full Assembly for a vote. The Assembly Health Committee added amendments and substitutions that made serious changes to the bill that would not serve patients well. CMMNJ’s press release that day urged the legislators to pass a final version of the bill that is not overly restrictive in order to help the greatest number of suffering patients in our state.
• CMMNJ continued its support in 2009 for medical marijuana patients whose suffering was compounded by the criminal justice system. New Jersey multiple sclerosis (MS) patient John Ray Wilson, 36, was told by Superior Court Judge Robert Reed in March during a pre-trial hearing in Somerville, NJ that he faced many years in a New Jersey state prison for growing marijuana plants that he used to treat his MS. Wilson was arrested on August 18, and was charged with “manufacturing” marijuana, despite his diagnosis of MS, despite a statement in support of medical marijuana by the National MS Society, and despite pending legislation that would protect MS patients who use medical marijuana in New Jersey. Wilson’s case shocked the conscience of the community and garnered national attention, especially after John was forbidden by the judge to even mention his medical condition during his trial. CMMNJ held a series of rallies in front of the Somerset County Court House that received wide and favorable attention in the media. CMMNJ also continued its campaign on Wilson’s behalf with an unrelenting series of Op Eds, Letters-to-the-editor, blogs, public debates, and appeals to government officials for a pardon. Eventually, State Senators Nick Scutari and Ray Lesniak joined in denouncing the prosecution of this ill man and asking the governor to pardon him. Several national organizations including DPA and NORML urged their members to join in an e-mail campaign to pardon John Wilson. Wilson’s trial was held in December, 2009 and the jury acquitted him of the most serious charge. However, Wilson still faces significant jail time on two lesser charges when he is sentenced in February, 2010. Supporters are urged to continue to work for a complete pardon for him. The New Jersey State Nurses Association sent a letter asking Gov. Corzine to intervene “in prohibiting Mr. Wilson from being jailed for growing and using marijuana for therapeutic purposes.” CMMNJ hand-delivered a pardon request to the Office of the Governor on 12/30/09.
• CMMNJ also wrote letters in support of Crohns Disease patient Mike Miceli who required two emergency abdominal surgical procedures following his arrest in Jackson, NJ, and chronic pain patient Ronald Felipa who was released by a Bergen County judge after CMMNJ wrote a supporting letter. Burn patient Mike Kessler was sentenced to 4 yrs. Probation, fined, & had his driver’s license revoked despite CMMNJ’s best efforts at leniency in his case.
• CMMNJ has long urged the American Medical Association (AMA) to join its colleagues in support of medical marijuana. CMMNJ was pleased when the AMA voted on 11/10/09 to reverse its long-held position that marijuana be retained as a Schedule I substance with no medical value. The AMA adopted a report drafted by its Council on Science and Public Health (CSAPH) entitled, "Use of Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes," which affirmed the therapeutic benefits of marijuana and called for further research. The CSAPH report concluded that, "short term controlled trials indicate that smoked cannabis reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass, and may relieve spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis." The report urges that "the Schedule I status of marijuana be reviewed with the goal of facilitating clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods."
• CMMNJ welcomed the announcement from federal authorities on 10/19/09 recognizing the medical benefits of marijuana and upholding the rights of Americans to safely use marijuana under a doctor’s supervision. For the first time federal authorities have been instructed not to arrest or prosecute medical marijuana patients or caregivers in the 13 states with legalized access. In a major reversal from Bush Administration policy, the Department of Justice issued a memo to prosecutors that stated: “As a general matter, (you) should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana. For example, prosecution of individuals with cancer or other serious illnesses who use marijuana as part of a recommended treatment regimen consistent with applicable state law, or those caregivers in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law who provide such individuals with marijuana, is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources.” With New Jersey in the final legislative phase for The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act A804/S119 this memo may serve to alleviate any outstanding concern of federal interference with our proposed state law.
• In October, all three gubernatorial candidates said they support medical marijuana during their recent debate. The Libertarian candidate for governor, who was not invited to the debate, also came out in support of the bill.
• CMMNJ is grateful for the continuing, active support for medical marijuana in New Jersey from organizations such as the Drug Policy Alliance, Patients Out of Time, NORML NJ, the Marijuana Policy Project, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, and Americans for Safe Access.

CMMNJ hosted a series of free, educational Medical Marijuana Info Seminars in 2009:
• 2/3/09 at the Willingboro Public Library;
• 2/18/09 at the Rutgers/Camden Law School;
• 3/21/09 at the Collingswood Public Library (attended by PA Rep. Mark Cohen who introduced a medical marijuana bill in PA modeled after the NJ bill on April 30, 2009);
• 8/19/09 at the Northeast Regional Library, Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA;
• 8/26/09 at the Levittown Regional Library, New Falls Road, Levittown, PA;
• 10/17 & 11/21/09 at the Collingswood, NJ Public Library.

In 2009, CMMNJ representatives attended or appeared at the following:
• WIBG 1020 AM Talk Radio on 1/20/09;
• WIFI 1460 AM Radio on 2/12/09;
• My9New York’s TV show, “New Jersey Now” on 3/8/09;
• Medical Marijuana Debate with Chris Goldstein on WFMZ Ch. 69 on 4/13/09;
• “NORML 4/20 Freedom Forum” at the Philadelphia Constitution Center on April 20, 2009.
• Skidfest music festival in Newark, Delaware on 4/18/09 and 11/7/09;
• MS Walk in Belmar, NJ on 4/19/09 along with several other MS Walks that day;
• The Global Marijuana March on 5/209 in New Brunswick, NJ with SSDP and in Philadelphia, PA with PhillyNORML.
• The Cheryl Miller Memorial Candlelight Vigil on 6/7/09 at the New Jersey Statehouse;
• A meeting with NORML NJ and the American Lung Association on 3/17/09 in Union, NJ.
• “7 Days Bar” in Union Beach, NJ on 6/6/09.
• “Barry Bush Memorial Vigil” on 7/11/09 at the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, PA;
• “The Mighty High” music festival on 7/18/09 at Vasa Park in Hackettstown, NJ;
• John Wilson Rally at Somerset Co. Court House on 8/21/09 in Somerville, NJ;
• “Vasagrass” music festival on 8/29/09 at Vasa Park in Hackettstown, NJ;
• NJ.com’s video “New Jersey considers a medical marijuana law” 9/14/09.
• Boston Freedom Rally, 9/19/09 on Boston Common in Boston Mass.;
• Hamilton Septemberfest, 9/13/09 at Veteran’s Park, Hamilton Twp., NJ;
• Lawrence Community Day, 10/4/09 at Village Park, Lawrence Twp., NJ;
• Ewing Community Fest, 10/10/09 at The College of New Jersey, Ewing Twp., NJ.
• NORML Conference, on 9/24-26/09 in San Francisco, CA;
• Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival, on 10/1-4/09 in Madison, WI;
• New York Harvest Fest on 10/9-12/09 in Utica, New York;
• Medical Marijuana Debate on 10/19/09 at Ocean Co. Community College;
• NORML NJ Open Mtng. on 10/20/09 at the Dog House Saloon, Wash. Twp, NJ;
• League of Municipalities Conference on 11/16-19/09 at the Atlantic City Convention Center;
• Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Legislative Hearing on 12/2/09 in Harrisburg, PA;
• WPHT’s Michael Smerconish Program on 12/8/09;
• Rally at Somerset Co. Court House on 12/14/09 in Somerville, NJ with fund-raiser following.
• John Wilson trial at the Somerset Co. Court House 12/15-17/09 in Somerville, NJ.


Recent publications and videos:
• The Times of Trenton published CMMNJ’s OP-EDs, "Drug laws vs. medical science" 1/15/09, “Marijuana bill restrictions mitigate its usefulness” 6/23/09, and “Medical marijuana: Compassion on trial” on 12/9/09.
• The Nursing Spectrum published the article, “The Great Debate: Medical Marijuana or Not? Will New Jersey legislators pass a law in 2009?” on 1/26/09.
• The Asbury Park Press published Jim Miller’s LTE, “Support warranted for medical marijuana” on 2/9/09. Chris Goldstein published “Trying to understand politics of pain,” in the Burlington Co. Times, 6/25/09. The West Coast Leaf published “NJ may be the next medi-cannabis state” in its Winter 2010 edition. Several other LTE’s were published including, “Medical marijuana relieves suffering” in the Times of Trenton, and “Nurse supports medical marijuana in New Jersey” in the Hunterdon Democrat on 12/2/09. Chuck Kwiatkowski submitted numerous LTEs for publication and appeared in several mainstream media articles and videos this year.
• The Seton Hall Position Paper and a Philadelphia Weekly article support New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Act (S119).
• See the excellent article in Inside New Jersey, “Medical marijuana bill gains momentum in New Jersey.”
• Follow Chris Goldstein’s blogs about medical marijuana in New Jersey at salon.com.
• Numerous blogs are available at www.cmmnj.org, for example, “Mary’s Story.”
• Facebook and Facebook Friends of CMMNJ are continually updated with the latest information. Format changes were made to the CMMNJ website.
• A series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about CMMNJ and its mission and progress were filmed and are available on YouTube.

Treasury Report:
In 2009 CMMNJ had income of $6,985.57 and expenditures of $4,892.90. CMMNJ ended the year with $3,914.10 in its checking account and $750.51 in its Paypal account. Annual Report filed with the State of NJ, and Form 990-N filed with the IRS in April.

CMMNJ’s 2010 recommendations:
These are the same recommendations CMMNJ made for 2009. While there has been progress made on all of these goals, none has been fully accomplished yet:
• Pass the New Jersey bill, S119/A804, into law.
• Stop all federal harassment of medical marijuana patients and treatment centers.
• Reschedule marijuana to a more appropriate schedule.

Patients Out of Time sponsors the premier medical marijuana educational conference in the nation. CMMNJ looks forward to attending the fully accredited Sixth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics on April 15 - 17, 2010 in Warwick, RI.

CMMNJ welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors in 2009, Chris Goldstein, James Bissell, and Peter Rosenfeld. The new members join Jim Miller, Ken Wolski, RN, Edward R. Hannaman, Esq., and Allan Marain, Esq. CMMNJ is committed to educating the public about the benefits of safe and legal access to medical marijuana for all patients who can benefit from it. CMMNJ meetings will continue in 2010, same time and place.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of CMMNJ, I would like to thank all of our supporters for their tireless efforts throughout the year. As we are an all-volunteer organization, we are nothing without you!

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618
609.394.2137
ohamkrw@aol.com

December 31, 2009