One patient questioned why the state would require doctors to take courses on drug addiction, treat marijuana more cautiously than morphine, which can kill Watch video
New Jersey's health department will review the proposed rules on medical marijuanaTRENTON — For nearly two hours today, dozens of patients and their advocates — some through tears, others at the top of their lungs — vented their frustrations over the state's proposed rules for New Jersey's yet-to-launch medical marijuana program.
"You're getting hammered up there, aren't ya?'' Crohn's disease sufferer Stephen Cuspilich, of Southampton, told the state health department officials conducted the legally-required hearing on the proposed rules expected to take effect this summer.
Cuspilich questioned why the state would require doctors who recommend marijuana to take courses on drug addiction first, and treat marijuana more cautiously than morphine, which can kill.
"You're putting these flaming hoops and hurdles in front of everybody to get this medication — me and everyone else. We know what works for us and what doesn't work for us.''
"You need to stop thinking about the business of the law and think about the intent of the law, which is compassion,'' he said, eliciting applause.
The only person who testified in favor of the health department's proposed rules was a representative from Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, who disclosed the hospital had created a nonprofit group and is vying to become one of only six licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
Trenton Lobbyist Raj Mukherji who represents Meadowlands and its new organization, Compassion Care Centers of America Foundation, complimented Gov. Chris Christie's administration for intending to gather data on how the drug helps patients and at what strain and potency.
The state's "medical model, with its focus on patient outcomes and data analysis, sets New Jersey apart from the other states,'' Mukherji said.
The lobbyist later added he hoped the administration would reconsider its limits on the number of strains and the potency of the drug, which cannot exceed 10 percent. More variety would make it easier to "measure clinical outcomes.''
Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh is expected to announce the six growers and sellers — or alternative treatment centers — on March 21.
Today's hearing, though required before the state can adopt new rules, might be for naught. The Democrat-controlled Legislature are two votes away from overturning the health department's regulations and ordering them to start over or write the rules itself.