Administration wants to amend pot law to force centralized production, distribution
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie’s administration said Rutgers University’s agricultural center should grow the pot and hospitals should dispense it under the state’s medical marijuana program, according to three people briefed on the proposal.
If legislators agree with the administration and amend a law that passed in January, New Jersey would be the first among the 14 medical marijuana states to run a centralized production and distribution system. The proposed changes represent an even more restrictive program — beyond one that was already the most conservative in the country — and eliminate the option of entrepreneurial growers and dispensaries getting some of the state’s marijuana business.
Letting the program operate through one grower and hospitals would minimize some of Christie’s concern about the program posing a security and safety threat, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the details.
Critics have said the governor is needlessly dragging his feet in a state that has at least 5,000 citizens who need the drug to alleviate pain and suffering.
Roseanne Scotti, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance of New Jersey, said she had heard "rumors" about the state wanting to involve Rutgers and hospitals. She said she wished the administration would stick to the bill that took years to pass.
"Why go back to drawing board, especially when seriously ill people are waiting?’’ she asked. Scotti also said the changes would limit economic growth from the medical marijuana industry.
"A lot of very responsible and respectable people have begun to step forward,’’ she said. "I thought the Christie administration is supposedly business-friendly.’’
Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), one of the law’s prime sponsors, yesterday said state health officials approached him about changing the law, but he declined to be specific. He described the changes sought by Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh as "interesting" but requiring more thought.Scutari said he understands Christie "wants to make sure this is strictly controlled — once the cat is out of the bag, it’s hard to stuff it back in. But I don’t want to see this become too restrictive ... We are not giving out poison."
He also plans to introduce a bill Monday granting the Health Department an additional 90 days — from October to January — to write the rules and roll out the program. The administration had sought up to a year’s delay.
Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner declined to confirm details about the proposed program.
"The department is still looking at many complex issues that will allow for design of the safest and most effective program for those patients who qualify," Leusner said.
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), the other key sponsor, said he was "supportive, if this is where they want to go.’’
He said he especially liked how Rutgers would be given "a great opportunity academic-wise ... to be the cutting edge of developing new strains of marijuana that deal with illness.’’
Bob Goodman, executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers, declined to comment. In March, Goodman confirmed the state had contacted the station to explore forming a partnership over the medical marijuana program.
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