[UPDATE! Earlier today, the New Jersey Assembly decided in favor of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 151 by a vote of 48 to 22. Unfortunately, Senate lawmakers did not act of Senate Concurrent Resolution 130, instead postponing a vote until at least December 9, 2010.
This means that the DHSS’s (Dept. of Health & Senior Services) previously scheduled hearing for public input on the regulations will still take place as planned on Monday, December 6, 2010. DHSS’ press release regarding this hearing is below.
“The Department will hold a public hearing on the proposed new rules between 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. on December 6, 2010 at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, First Floor Auditorium, Health and Agriculture Building, 369 South Warren Street (at Market Street), Trenton, New Jersey 08608.
The public has until January 14, 2011, to comment on the proposal. Persons wishing to comment on the proposal must submit their comments in writing by regular mail to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Office of the Commissioner, NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, P O Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360. Written comments must be postmarked on or before January 14, 2011, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period. The Department will not accept telefacsimiles or electronic mail messages as official comments on the notice of proposal.”]
New Jersey Senators are scheduled to vote this Monday, November 22, on a resolution to compel state health officials to revise proposed regulations for the state’s nascent medical cannabis program. Please contact your state Senator and urge them to vote ‘yes’ on SCR 130.
Last month, New Jersey Department of Health officials released onerous draft regulations regarding the implementation of the state’s Compassionate Medical Marijuana Act, which was initially signed into law in January. The proposed rules violate the intent of the law by limiting the manufacture of medical cannabis to two licensed facilities, restricting the percentage of THC that may be present in the plant to no more than ten percent, and limiting the varieties of legally available cannabis to no more than three strains. They further demand that doctors who authorize their patients to use marijuana must “make reasonable efforts” at least every three months to wean them off the drug — a requirement that presently exists for no other controlled therapeutic substance.
Several patient advocacy groups, including New Jersey NORML and the Coalition for Medical Marijuana — New Jersey, and lawmakers have criticized the proposed program as being unduly restrictive, and “not consistent with the intent of the legislature.” Various editorial boards, such as the New Jersey Star Ledger and the Asbury Park Press, have also opined against the proposed regulations.
The Senate and Assembly resolutions, if approved by both chambers, would give state health officials 30 days to revise these unduly burdensome regulations.
If you live in the Garden State, please visit NORML’s ‘Take Action’ Center, and tell your member of the Assembly and Senate to affirm these votes by going here.
“wean them off the drug”? Really? Most people that need pot unlike myself who doesn’t “need” it. Have long term ongoing pain.
Furthermore the dosage of THC should be the doctors call which in many cases is necessary if the patient needs CBD Cannibidiol which you have to lessen THC to inclreas CBD.
We need to F*ing open up the science and take this decision away from lawmakers who don’t need scientific credentials and judgment to run the states and country
they may as well not even passed it at all i guess it has to start somewhere though. if its on the books you can at least ammend it to fit the needs of those in need. that just means you need to contact the appropreate officials to effect the change in what stands on the books. come on ohio get on the bus.
In the meantime…
The old and the suffering don’t matter, “Due to a change in policy under Leonhart, said Kohl, “nursing homes [are] unable to administer pain medication to residents in a timely manner.”
http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/18/michele-leonhart-one-step-closer-to-officially-heading-up-the-dea/
“The time that it takes for a nursing home to comply with the DEA’s new enforcement policy can be an eternity to an elderly patient who is in agonizing pain.”
“Acting Director of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Michele Leonhart promised to oppose legalization of Medical Marijuana (MMJ) and step up enforcement in states where MMJ has been made legal under state laws, if she were made Director of the DEA.”
Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/dea-promises-enforcement-of-marijuana-laws/#ixzz15l95Gxny
In these difficult economic times, the socialists have expanded the war on drugs. The teachers, law enforcement and the firefighters are the Socialists Army.
The future depends on your individual choice, May NJ legislature sleep well, for in the morn, how you decide will carry all of us to a better day.
I WOULD LIKE TO NO WHY THERE IS NO URBAN DIVISION OF NORML BECAUSE WE ARE INTERESTED IN STARTING OR JOINING THANKS BLUNT RADIO MEDICALLY SPEAKING
So democracy is not our form of government. This is a police nanny state… ;-(
Slightly off topic, but these TSA searches are not about bombs, but weed. Check it out.
Governor Christie is a prohibitionist and has done everything he can to stop the m/m law to be enacted.
He will continue to throw wrenches into the works as long as he is in office.
Christie needs to stop fucking around, and damn well better not think they’ve got 30 days to make it even more restrictive. He’s lost revenue from table games and slots players in all the surrounding states. PA has all that now, and they’re not coming to gamble in Atlantic City like they used to. Those days are never coming back, and neither is the revenue stream. Cannabis in NJ is a great way to get to the old levels, plus.
Grow a pair of nuts, Christie!
Fuck the DEA, their budget isn’t able to handle doing raids in every state, especially when there are more and more states jumping on the cannabis bandwagen and milking this cash cow.
Yo, even if Christie won’t loosen up, the rest of Jersey just flow around his fat ass, and legalize anyway. I mean, it’s win-win. Christie’s rich pals get their fucking tax breaks because the government’s now getting the money from cannabis taxes.
He has to have a thick skin to get where he is, so tell me he’s that afraid of the fucking DEA. They already lost New Jersey. People from the city will be coming over on droves, and NYC will have to legalize when they give up on arresting New Yorkers who smoke outside on their porches and at sidewalk coffeeshops and stuff.
No way is the DEA going to raid in Haarlem and get away with it.
Ugh, I really hope these set of rules are reasonable!
Hey NORML couldn’t we bring some kind of discrimination lawsuit against the states & feds ? Just thinkin !
[Editor’s note: Unfortunately, after dozens of lawsuits against the state and federal governments for not treating cannabis consumers and patients the same as alcohol consumers generally go no where as judges defer to the legislatures and will not overrule anti-cannabis laws.
The two most ready and long-lasting ways to reform cannabis laws are via binding voter initiatives and legislation.]
Seriously, let’s stop beating around the bush with these ridiculous mmj laws. They’re nothing short of insulting, and what little rights they do provide from their respective states, are constantly under threat from the Feds. This past election gave us a serious blow that has left us hanging on the ropes. This is not a time for a defensive mindset. Let’s keep swinging! Time to mobilize. Attack it on all fronts. Local, state, federal. I’m Pissed!
For the sake of the country, please vote yes on this legislation. People need some releif from a natural source. Why deny anyone their own rights?
I think they should revise the rules.They need to consider that limitations may inhibit positive medical benefits.
I am just guessing but based on my reading,If it is the THC that kills the cancer cells putting limits on this is putting limits on its potential.I would think amounts and doses will have to be established..by the treating physicians and scientist who develop applications.
From my perspective any product can come with a package warning to discourage driving or operating machinery based on intensity. People go into public bars and get smashed on alcohol every day.and we have approved of this and it is legal.
I think if possible because sick people are vulnerable and sensitive some of the restrictions should apply to things like pesticides and herbicides and nothing genetically modified like terminator. It should be pure with no additives,and organic all the way.Would you want anything less in your system?
I think this wean patients off of a harmless safe effective pain Medication is kind of ridiculous.The alternatives will over time do liver damage and kidney damage.Again this is something a doctor must decide based on the progress his patients have with it.This is a fresh green avenue,It is still being explored,I hope it helps and cures any one who suffers.
Wow! People sure do like to play god with peoples well being.
2 licensed facilities (They sure want more of the black market to thrive, more crime, less taxes).
10 percent cap. (They think smoking much more is a good thing?).
3 strains (What if they are all sativa, where is the pain relief to those who need it or vice versa for those who need sativa or hybryds?)
3 months (Officially coerce doctors into making political decisions because the “suits” think MD’s dont know %$@#).
Opiates/other toxic meds are good(Poison is good).
Nature is bad(non-toxic plant is bad).
Please end the insanity. Contact the assembly with your own good points. There are thousands of reasons why they are not being rational on these ridiculous rules.
Oops I meant to say ” Where is the pain relief for those that need indica”.
3 strains (What if they are all sativa, where is the pain relief to those who need indica, or vice versa for those who need sativa, or hybrids?)
I guess I am not perfect when it comes to typying my ideas. Although this council clearly has serious common sense issues. Maybe they are on some kind of pills?
t has been almost a hundred years since the Medical industrial complex including the pharma chemical industries decided to pretend to look for cancer cures.Their new approach would include employing the use of chemical pharmaceuticals,surgery ,radiation,and other aggressive approaches to medicine, electro shock , ex- rays.ultrasound,mri’s etc.They closed down all the homeopathic hospitals and all the black hospitals and they made cannabis illegal about near the same time they closed down all the homeopathic hospitals.So here we are now in 2010 ,after almost a hundred years and billions and billions of dollars later,they have not been able to come up with a suitable inexpensive cure for cancer .(Let alone even a suitable expensive one )After all this time it is discovered by a man in Canada (who is not even a doctor )that cannabis oil cured his skin cancer.The towns people were out raged” arrest that man “….the authorities wanted to know where he got it he told them he raised it in his back yard..Then how much did that cost he said ‘nothing its a weed…..and you just dabbed that black oil on your skin cancer and it went away he replied “well yes completely.”…”well ahhhh your ahhhh under aaaa rest then, thats right your under arrest.What are the charges sir…Finding the cure for cancer when the MIC has been trying to keep it a secret for almost a hundred years.
My condolences to The Free Irish State
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11801680
When you kiss the hand of your new charity, remember when you bow your head
Is it time?
What’s sad is that these restrictions aren’t even that surprising. A lot of people who have a lot of sway over politicians can lose a lot of money to marijuana; those individuals will work to the best of their ability to keep sick people from ridding themselves of their dependence on sickening pharmaceuticals.
Those with a vested interest in keeping MJ from sick people realize how badly they’ll be hurt not just by cannabis, but also by the simple fact that marijuana may well cause people to wake up and realize that there are other ways to get well outside of the mass of pills that get tossed at them and end in a myriad of new issues anyway.
Won’t Christie just veto this? Or is this a legislature tweaking laws so it doesn’t have to be signed off kinda thing? I’ll admit I’m totally ignorant of how NJ state government works.
What is sad is that nobody cheats death, the high rollers rape and plunder the World.
In the meantime
In the meantime
I pray for my only soul
In the meantime I await my Amazon order to be delivered,the finest marijuana in the world.
!@#@%&!@#
Funny you know that they dont have the same rules for “OXYCODONE” , VIC’s, VALUME, ROXYCODONE, and the other wide assortment of pain and mood elevators.
Could it be that its because the pharm. companies have Washington in their deep pockets…..Never our lovely elected officals only have our best interest involved.
As a matter of fact I believe that on the 22nd they will also be voting on drug testng for elected officals so to lead by example…..
And then I woke up!!!
* The fallout for the failed Prop 19 will run deep indeed.
wean people off marijuana ? i’ve never know marijuana to ba addicting in the 3 years i’ve smoked i can quit any time and in fact i have just because getting high wasn’t as exciting as it use to be. this whole marijuana addiction things comes from an uninformed government we need to take a stand pack a bowl and pass it around the white house lets see how fast views change but in light of everything at least its they have medical marijuana i honestly don’t see it happening in Ohio and its very disappointing. you really have no rights in this country i don’t smoke or drink because i don’t like it but does that mean i should try to ban smoking and drinking? i don’t think so, it goes both ways i smoke pot big deal those that don’t like it should just stay away from me then when I’m smoking it like i do when other smoking cigarettes but instead people who don’t like it try to stop it what happened to my freedom and rights i think trying to ban something just because you don’t like it or agree with it is one of the most selfish self-centered things you can do. sorry for my little rant.
Has the last vote been recorded in new jersy
On November The 22, in the year of Christ.
You go boys .
The NJ Assembly voted in favor of the legislation to force the administration to enact regulations consistent with the law passed earlier this year. The vote was:
11/22/2010 Passed by the Assembly (48-22-7)
The Senate held it session and completed it, however there is no action reported.
[Paul Armentano responds: From what I’m told by NORML NJ, the Assembly voted in favor of the resolution, but the Senate postponed their vote until 12/9. This means that the DHSS’s previously scheduled hearing for public input on the regulations will still take place as planned on 12/6/10:
“The Department will hold a public hearing on the proposed new rules between 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. on December 6, 2010 at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, First Floor Auditorium, Health and Agriculture Building, 369 South Warren Street (at Market Street), Trenton, New Jersey 08608.
The public has until January 14, 2011, to comment on the proposal. Persons wishing to comment on the proposal must submit their comments in writing by regular mail to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Office of the Commissioner, NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, P O Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360. Written comments must be postmarked on or before January 14, 2011, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period. The Department will not accept telefacsimiles or electronic mail messages as official comments on the notice of proposal.”]
Look what happened in california..prop 19 died..thanks to medical marijuana..the growers will always vote against a bill to make it legal for everyone over 21.it’s their cash cow.its a harmless non-addictive substance..no need for medical reasons to use it..our bodies.. our decision, really screwed up people here at norml..medical marijuana growers and distributors are just as much shit heads as the beer distributers, cops and people in office..makes me sick..grow the hell up..organize a day for everyone that wants it to smoke it up..they sure as hell cant jail everyone.tell our employers to drop dead..social crash they will get the point but it will take sacrifice..norml do your job organize it i’m in!!.quit hiding behind medical marijuana
We need to start looking now for an opponent to Christie that is in favor of medical marijuana and is favorable to marijuana in general. NORML should start getting involved in local Democratic/Republican primarys to help nominate marijuana friendly candidate for state and local offices.
This is so much horse Malarkey in these regulations its crazy !!!!
These people have no medical background what so ever with regard to the groundbraking discoveries which solidify the general medical professions oppionon that MJ is extremely NON TOXIC and BENEFICIAL in a whole host of different applications. This dumbing down will not be allowed….Science will prevail eventually…. This is how you KNOW for sure these people are playing POLITICAL games with this bill.
1. have no mention of the CBD content which as the informed know is the illustrious compound from MJ that they KNOW for sure is chock full of anti-cancer properties. The pharmaceutical companies are SCRAMBLING to find out how and why
2. have no mention of the different methods of ingesting MJ for medicinal purposes.
There is a whole sub market completely designed on , tinctures, creams, oils, vapors, foods,
(WAITING TO BE IMPLEMENTED)
It is a RETAIL AGRICULTURAL FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY!!
If the Gov wants to stivk his head in the sand our legislators need to call him out on it!!!
Especially in terms of bringing revenue to the state.
They are only CRUDELY concerned with the stereotypical images that are associated with MJ (young black males rappers, ,crime, and violence the drug trade)
Never mind the miraculous discoveries that have been happening with MJ and continue to happen with LIMITED research.
ITS SO DISGUSTING…. to see how people how feed into the lies about MJ and the absolute hypocrisy that envelopes us on a day to day basis.
Paul
Is there anything at all to be happy about regarding recent happening in the movement.
It looks like we lost everything across the board in November….
Shelly
[Paul Armentano responds: Shelly, no doubt this mid-term election yielded some disappointments. But this is a marathon, not a sprint. Setbacks aside, we are at an all-time high when it comes to public and political awareness, as well as public support. According to Gallup, national support for legalization has risen from 29 percent in the late 1990s to an all-time high of 46 percent today. 4.5 million Californians voted ‘yes’ on Prop. 19 (46.4 percent of the vote). No previous legalization initiative in any state has ever received so much voter support, nor has any prior effort generated such positive national discourse. California lawmakers also approved SB 1449 into law so that the adult possession of up to 28.5 grams of marijuana is reduced from a criminal misdemeanor to a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a $100 fine — no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record. Arizona became the 15th state to legalize the medical use of cannabis. In Connecticut and Vermont, marijuana law reform-friendly candidates won key elections — both of which will likely lead to the passage of decriminalization legislation in those states (and perhaps also medical marijuana in CT) in the near future. Legalization legislation will be introduced this coming year in a record number of states, including California, Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Medical marijuana dispensaries will soon be operating in the nation’s capitol. In short, social change doesn’t happen overnight – but it does happen, and it is happening.]
A little bit more time..
As the economy shrinks..
“Newark police union rejects deal proposed by city to avoid layoffs”
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/newark_police_union_rejects_de.html
Too many cops, too many laws, too many unemployed, who will be the one to pay for the drug war ?
The simple life
http://zenhabits.net/simple-living-manifesto-72-ideas-to-simplify-your-life/
A good ale, some good cheese with dark bread, a toke and prayer for good dreams.
•Deaths: Final Data for 2007
—— http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm
————— More data
•Deaths: Final Data for 2007 –> http://www.cdc.gov/NCHS/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_19.pdf
search: alcohol
search: cannabis, marijuana
——-
The dangerous part of pot use is the risk of being locked for exercising ones constitutional freedoms.
So, with the whole ‘doctors who authorize their patients to use marijuana must “make reasonable efforts” at least every three months to wean them off the drug’ provision, shouldn’t that also apply towards the highly addictive pharmaceutical pain killers and stimulants that are currently legal in our ‘great country’? If they do decide to put that requirement through, against the wishes of their constituents, people should rise up and demand those same restrictions to be placed upon the drugs that are actually ruining our country.
rumor has it that alot of important officials will be watching the ratings of this… lets overwhelm them?!!?!!?!?!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114552811944141
I think if the government wants to regulate it they should see to it it is never raised with all the chemicals tobacco was raised with.I understood it was the chemicals in tobacco that made it so cancerous and deadly .I do not understand by regulation do they mean regulate the taxes or control the purity .The FDA Not the DEA should see to the purity of it and make recommendations that its production and processing is kept clean, nothing is added to it or taken away from it and it is not genetically modified in any way,Most importantly NO CHEMICALS IN IT.!
Tick Tock.. The Day is coming
When you can grow any plant in your garden
a de facto legalization of marijuana” in New Jersey.
Trenton — Gov. Chris Christie said he will fight to prevent his administration’s proposed medical marijuana regulations from going up in smoke, despite pressure from state lawmakers to make changes.
The governor said he “fears” watering down the rules would essentially create “a de facto legalization of marijuana” in New Jersey.
http://www.app.com/article/20101126/NEWS03/11260340/Gov-vows-to-tighten-law-on-marijuana
Hey Cooley Christie, give it up
Since Goverrnor Christie has been in office, this state has gone to the dogs, Higher Taxes, Less taxes for His (Rich-Friends), & there is quite a few of them. The only way to get rid of the smell, is to take out the garbage, on Election Day ! ! Vote Them Out Of Office, he’s worth I believe 3.8 Million Dollars, I doubt it if he needs to work anyway . Besides he could care less if your out of work, in Great-Pain, he looks like he hasn’t mist a GOOD MEAL, get with the program Governor, and start thinking about the people who voted you in office, what a disappointment you turned out to be, in won’t happen when election time comes around again, enjoy what time you have left ! TICK TOCK ! ! ! !
All ready 1 & 1/2 years since Gov. Corzine passed this MM Law and still nowhere! Chronic Pain must be included. 5 years ago at age 53, I had spinal fusion, it FAILED! I now must suffer with severe pain due to Stenosis, FAILED BACK SYNDROME. 5 years of Oxycoytin, then Morphine, until my Meds were increased to
1 Fentanyl Patch 50McG per hour. Every 48 hrs
2 Valium 10mgs @ day
3 Neurotin 300mgs @ day
1 Cymbalta 60mgs @ day
3 Xanax .50mgs @ day
Now I want to get off these killer Pain Meds. So I am scheduled for Surgery to implant SC Stimulator ( which will only stop 50 – 60 % of the pain! This is not how I want to live the rest of my life. 2-3 puffs and no pain for a few hours. Now I find out my condition doesn’t even qualify!!!
Why do I still live in NJ?
R.A. Puri