TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie said for the first time today he supports New Jersey’s medical marijuana law and has no plans to make it more restrictive, a reversal of statements he made as a candidate last year. As a candidate, Christie said he feared the pending bill, which was signed into law by outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine, was...
Poonam Alaigh, Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, appears before the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee meeting in the State House annex. Alaigh touched on the implementation of the medical marijuana bill in her testimony.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie said for the first time today he supports New Jersey’s medical marijuana law and has no plans to make it more restrictive, a reversal of statements he made as a candidate last year.
As a candidate, Christie said he feared the pending bill, which was signed into law by outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine, was too lax and needed work. But Thursday Christie spokesman Micahel Drewniak said the governor believes New Jersey’s medical marijuana law "is very good as written.’’
Despite the new support, Christie still wants to delay the kick-off of the medical marijuana program until January or July 2011, Drewniak said today."I think the public would agree it has to be done correctly,’’ he said.
Corzine signed the law on Jan. 18, dictating the program must begin within six months, although supporters say they’ve expected an October roll-out to allow state health officials to write the rules.
But even October is too soon, Drewniak said. "We just came into Trenton in January – a day after the bill was passed,’’ Drewniak said. "This is not a long time to put in place a complex law.’’
The governor’s request frustrated prime Senate sponsor Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), who noted Christie first asked for a delay in March before his administration renewed the request last week. Scutari said he would confer with Democratic caucus leaders next week to discuss whether they should grant a reprieve. A decision will be made before the June 30 summer recess.
"They knew about this from the moment they got in. They could have at least gotten the patient registration part going,’’ Scutari said.
"This is not delay for delay’s sake, as I have heard suggested by some political remarks," Drewniak said. "We are going to do it the right way.’’
Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee Chairwoman Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) also asked about the delay today when state health Commissioner Poonam Alaigh testified on her priorities for the year.
"I understand this Governor has some questions, but I would like to point out to everybody, including the governor, this is the law,’’ Weinberg said.
New Jersey passed the most comprehensive and restrictive law in the nation, and Alaigh’s department was still wrestling with how and by whom the plants will be grown and sold, educating physicians and law enforcement officers and other issues. "I don’t have a time frame for you but all I can say is it is a top priority,’’ Alaigh said.
Roseanne Scotti, executive director for the Drug Policy Alliance of New Jersey, said she has offered to arrange a visit from New Mexico and Rhode Island health officials who have designed medical marijuana programs. "They do not have to reinvent the wheel. I think this is being presented as a more complicated process than it is.’’
| New Jersey lawmakers pass medical marijuana law |