New Jersey Goes to Pot- Assembly Approves Medical Marijuana

Here is an excerpt from a NY Times story today indicating that New Jersey has approved to use of Medical Marijuana......

New Jersey Assembly Approves Medical Marijuana

NY TIMES
By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI

The New Jersey Assembly approved a measure on Monday that would make the state the first in the region and the 14th in the nation to legalize the use of marijuana for medical reasons.

The measure was to be voted on by the State Senate later in the afternoon, the final day of the legislative session. If passed, it would allow patients diagnosed with severe illnesses like cancer, AIDS, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana distributed through state-monitored dispensaries.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine has said he would sign it into law before leaving office next Tuesday. Gov.-elect Christopher J. Christie, speaking at a press conference on Monday before the vote, reiterated his support for legalizing the medical use of marijuana as long as the final bill contained safeguards to ensure that it did not end up encouraging the recreational use of the drug.

To read the whole article, click below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/nyregion/12marijuana.html

My comment: This will be a very restrictive law so I do not anticiapate it resulting in a rash of people suddenly toking it up in New Jersey that aren't doign so already. I still feel that that this doesn't open the usage up enough and perhaps that opinion many might disagree with. One great way for NJ to get more revenue would be to decriminalize pot and tax it. NJ could use that money to plug budget shortfalls and treatment programs for the harder drugs like crack and heroin, etc. Share your thoughts below..... ◦

New Jersey Goes to Pot- Assembly Approves Medical Marijuana