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Registered medical marijuana patients in New Jersey would be allowed to buy the drug in another state where it's legal and consume it here under a bill introduced in the state Assembly today. The idea came from Meghan and Brian Wilson of Scotch Plains, who earlier this year waged a public battle to loosen the restrictions of the state program for kids on behalf of their 2-1/2-year-old daughter, Vivian, diagnosed with a serious form of drug-resistant epilepsy. The Wilsons had hoped they could buy a rare strain of pot here that is produced in edible form by a Colorado grower that has shown to reduce the severity and frequency of seizures in other children.
But despite changes in New Jersey law that were meant to make a wider variety of marijuana strains and products available, the Wilsons say they are no closer to a remedy. The two operating medical marijuana dispensaries in the state are not producing edible products yet. Meghan Wilson said she and her husband figured out how to cook the product down to an oil, but the state Health Department's laboratory is not yet capable of testing the product's potency. "It's a little disheartening," Megan Wilson said. "They need to figure it out soon so the state gets something in place and everyone has access." Creating a reciprocity agreement between New Jersey and the 19 other states and Washington D.C. that permit medical marijuana is the next best thing, said Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union), who introduced the bill.
"They are the ones that have inspired this effort but they are not alone in needing access," said Stender, who is co-sponsoring the measure with Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union). "We didn't anticipate this when we were doing the first bill." Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner declined to comment on the bill, but said state officials are working with the operators of the alternative treatment centers to develop a manufacturing and testing process.
"Although there is no extraction process mandated by the Medicinal Marijuana Program to process raw marijuana into dispensable products, the Medicinal Marijuana Program is working closely with several ATCs on the extraction, infusion and manufacturing process the ATCs will employ," Leusner said. "Appropriate sampling and testing protocols will be developed based on the ATC plans." Stender's bill also would allow minors in the program to have two registered caregivers who may buy the drug on their behalf, rather than just one. If the bill were to pass both houses and be signed by the governor, Brian Wilson would move to Colorado, rent an apartment there to establish residency, and register Vivian for its program, Megan Wilson said. They would fly between Colorado and New Jersey as needed, she said.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration issued a statement that suggests medical marijuana patients are not a target of their enforcement efforts. "Screening procedures are governed by federal law and designed to detect threats to aviation security," according to a statement on the agency's website. "TSA officers do not search for marijuana or other drugs. However, if an item is found that may violate federal law during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to law enforcement. Whether or not marijuana is considered medical marijuana, federal law provides no basis to treat medical marijuana differently than non-medical marijuana."
Wilson said she knows the bill will be another tough sell; Christie has been very vocal in his resolve to keep tight control on New Jersey's program. The bill "doesn't effect New Jersey's program at all. It doesn't make it easier to get it and it is not affecting the security. It's giving patients more options until the medicine is available here," she said. Patients who buy from out of state dispensaries must report the quantity of their purchases to the health department, and may not exceed the monthly limit recommended by their doctor, according to the bill. Arizona, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island recognize patients from other state medical marijuana programs, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Nj.com
Author: Susan K. Livio
Contact: Contact Us - NJ.com
Website: N.J. lawmaker introduces bill allowing medical marijuana patients to buy from other state programs | NJ.com
But despite changes in New Jersey law that were meant to make a wider variety of marijuana strains and products available, the Wilsons say they are no closer to a remedy. The two operating medical marijuana dispensaries in the state are not producing edible products yet. Meghan Wilson said she and her husband figured out how to cook the product down to an oil, but the state Health Department's laboratory is not yet capable of testing the product's potency. "It's a little disheartening," Megan Wilson said. "They need to figure it out soon so the state gets something in place and everyone has access." Creating a reciprocity agreement between New Jersey and the 19 other states and Washington D.C. that permit medical marijuana is the next best thing, said Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union), who introduced the bill.
"They are the ones that have inspired this effort but they are not alone in needing access," said Stender, who is co-sponsoring the measure with Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union). "We didn't anticipate this when we were doing the first bill." Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner declined to comment on the bill, but said state officials are working with the operators of the alternative treatment centers to develop a manufacturing and testing process.
"Although there is no extraction process mandated by the Medicinal Marijuana Program to process raw marijuana into dispensable products, the Medicinal Marijuana Program is working closely with several ATCs on the extraction, infusion and manufacturing process the ATCs will employ," Leusner said. "Appropriate sampling and testing protocols will be developed based on the ATC plans." Stender's bill also would allow minors in the program to have two registered caregivers who may buy the drug on their behalf, rather than just one. If the bill were to pass both houses and be signed by the governor, Brian Wilson would move to Colorado, rent an apartment there to establish residency, and register Vivian for its program, Megan Wilson said. They would fly between Colorado and New Jersey as needed, she said.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration issued a statement that suggests medical marijuana patients are not a target of their enforcement efforts. "Screening procedures are governed by federal law and designed to detect threats to aviation security," according to a statement on the agency's website. "TSA officers do not search for marijuana or other drugs. However, if an item is found that may violate federal law during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to law enforcement. Whether or not marijuana is considered medical marijuana, federal law provides no basis to treat medical marijuana differently than non-medical marijuana."
Wilson said she knows the bill will be another tough sell; Christie has been very vocal in his resolve to keep tight control on New Jersey's program. The bill "doesn't effect New Jersey's program at all. It doesn't make it easier to get it and it is not affecting the security. It's giving patients more options until the medicine is available here," she said. Patients who buy from out of state dispensaries must report the quantity of their purchases to the health department, and may not exceed the monthly limit recommended by their doctor, according to the bill. Arizona, Delaware, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island recognize patients from other state medical marijuana programs, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Nj.com
Author: Susan K. Livio
Contact: Contact Us - NJ.com
Website: N.J. lawmaker introduces bill allowing medical marijuana patients to buy from other state programs | NJ.com
