NJSNA supports insurance for medicinal cannabis

 

NJSNA supports insurance for medicinal cannabis

For more information, contact: Ken (609) 394-2137  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHO:     The New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA) 

WHAT:   Renewed endorsement of medicinal cannabis insurance bills

WHERE: In the New Jersey State Legislature     

WHEN:   During Nurses Week/Nurses Month, May 2025

WHY:    To improve healthcare in New Jersey

Judith Schmidt, RN, the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey State Nurses Association/Institute for Nursing (NJSNA/IFN) and Margaret Daingerfield, NJSNA President, confirmed the continuing support of the NJSNA for the following bills to provide insurance coverage for medicinal cannabis:

• S1944: Allows costs of medical cannabis to be reimbursed by Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund, PAAD, Senior Gold and VCCO.
• S1943/A4371: Requires workers' compensation, PIP, and health insurance coverage for the medical use of cannabis under certain circumstances.
• A898/S2828: Establishes program to subsidize purchase price of medical cannabis for registered qualifying patients enrolled in Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare programs. 

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. said, “When passed into law, these bills will make the medical benefits of cannabis available to many residents who have been impoverished by their illnesses or injuries. These bills will also reduce healthcare costs in the state. Cannabis stabilizes multiple conditions. Greater access to cannabis therapy will allow patients to require:

• fewer pharmaceuticals;
• fewer surgical procedures; and,
• fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations.”

Previous versions of S1944 passed out of the Senate Health Committee on 3/10/22 and the Assembly Health Committee on 5/24/22. Previous versions of S1943 passed out of the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee on 2/13/20 and the Assembly Appropriations Committee on 10/26/20.

Please join with the NJSNA/IFN in support of these bills.

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA

Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. https://cmmnj.org/

219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618 (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com

CMMNJ, founded in 2003, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization.