Testimony to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
In support of S2996 Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses
February 9, 2026
As
a registered nurse (RN) with 50 years of experience, and as Executive Director of the Coalition for
Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, I am fully in support of S2996, a bill that will
grant full practice authority (FPA) for advanced practice nurses (APNs)
in the state.
FPA
for APNs will benefit New Jersey’s Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP). Less than
1000 physicians have signed up to authorize patients in the state to access
medicinal cannabis.* Most of these are not even accepting new patients. APNs
are also eligible to certify patients for the MCP, but very few currently do so
because APNs are required to function in a collaborative role with a physician
— the Joint Protocol restriction. If the physician is opposed to medical cannabis,
the APN may not recommend it, creating a barrier to patient access.**
The
Institute of Medicine recognizes that FPA for APNs improves health care in the
27 states where it has been implemented. Empowering APNs to practice at their
full authority will make health care—including medical cannabis--more
available, at reduced rates, by members of the most trusted profession in
America — Nurses. Thank you for your anticipated
support.
Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave.,
Trenton, NJ 08618
609.394.2137 ohamkrw@aol.com
*NJ CRC: https://www.nj.gov/cannabis/medicinalcannabis/find-provider/
**“Improving access to medical cannabis,” by Ken Wolski, NJ Cannabis Insider, April 5, 2024: https://link.nj.com/view/5eceee1cd2ef54010f55caa5kszrs.9/a8f14cf0 (See below)
Practical Implications of State Law Amendments Granting Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority,” cdc_136964_DS1.pdf
Attachment:
Resume of Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
The Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New
Jersey, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization whose mission
is to educate the public about medical marijuana.
Improving access to medical cannabis
By Ken Wolski,
Director of Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey
There are several barriers that medical marijuana patients in New Jersey face. In addition to having some of the most expensive medical marijuana in the country, New Jersey has very few providers, most of whom charge high fees to access the Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP).
The Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey (CMMNJ) was instrumental in getting the medical marijuana bill introduced into the state legislature in 2005 and passed into law in 2010. CMMNJ advocated for this legislation primarily with patients, their families, and nurses in the state.
Very few physicians supported our efforts. The American Medical Association continues to oppose these programs in the 38 states that have legalized medical marijuana.
Despite this apathy and open hostility to medical marijuana, legislators established physicians as gatekeepers to the state’s MCP.
This allows physicians to charge patients fees to access the program, often in the range of $150 to $200 in cash per visit. Physicians also determine how often the patient must be seen each year and charged for these visits.
In many cases, patients have had their chronic and incurable qualifying conditions for decades. Nevertheless, some physicians insist on seeing these patients every 90 days to renew their medical marijuana certification.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) has a very simple process to register providers to participate in the MCP.
But a recent check showed that of the 27,000 licensed physicians in the state only 1,038 providers have registered with the CRC. Of that number, only 26% or 271 providers have bothered to list themselves as currently accepting new patients.
Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) are also eligible to certify patients for the medicinal marijuana program, but very few currently do so. This is because APNs in New Jersey are required to function in a collaborative role with a physician — the Joint Protocol restriction. Physicians charge APNs for this privilege, in some cases $1500 a month.
If the MD is opposed to medical marijuana, the APN may not recommend it, creating a barrier to patient access.
There is a bill in the NJ legislature (S1983/A944) that would grant APN's full practice authority and relieve them of the burden of forced collaboration with an MD.
The Institute of Medicine recognizes that full practice authority for APNs improves health care in the 27 states where it has been implemented. The legislation has significant bipartisan support. It passed unanimously out of the Senate Health committee last session.
In the Assembly, however, the bill has yet to come up for a hearing. It is being blocked by the chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, Herb Conaway, a physician.
By refusing to allow the APN bill to have a hearing, Dr. Conway appears to be simply protecting the profits and power of the physician profession. If there is more to it than this, then a committee hearing can determine that.
Otherwise, this inaction on A944 is detrimental to patients in New Jersey.
Empowering APNs to practice at their full authority will make health care more available, at reduced rates, by members of the most trusted profession in America — Nurses.
Medical cannabis can also reduce health care expenses for the patient if it is affordable. This is why, in addition to reduced fees to access the program, a home cultivation program for medical cannabis patients is so important.
Homegrow not only reduces costs but guarantees the availability of specific strains of cannabis that are most effective in controlling a patient's condition or conditions. Plus, it is an incentive for patients to join the flagging MCP.
Medical cannabis is a legitimate medicine that should also be covered by health insurance. There are several state-run insurance programs where this can be instituted immediately.
Medicinal cannabis can manage multiple conditions, create a more stable patient population and reduce healthcare costs. There is no excuse for delay in this. It only increases patients suffering.
Our educational system must provide information on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is the science behind how medical cannabis interacts with cannabinoid receptors in the human body to provide broad therapeutic applications.
When access to medical marijuana is more available and more affordable, the overall health of New Jersey patients will improve.
https://link.nj.com/view/5eceee1cd2ef54010f55caa5kszrs.9/a8f14cf0
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