John H. O'Brien Jr., a 26-year State Police veteran, gives an air of strictness and top-down control to the most restrictive medical marijuana program in the U.S. Watch video
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A 2009 file photo of medical marijuana. Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday named a new head to the state's fledgling medical marijuana program.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie has hired a career lawman who is both computer whiz and crime fighter to run the state’s fledgling medical marijuana program following recent criticism of the program’s slow progress and disorganization.
State officials made it clear that the appointment of John H. O’Brien Jr., a 26-year State Police veteran, with extensive experience creating and managing managing FBI and state criminal record systems was meant to give an air of strictness and top-down control to the most restrictive medical marijuana program in the nation.
While with the State Police, the 51-year-old Manchester Township resident created a system that tracked the criminal history of gun buyers, as well as another "consumer-friendly program" that provided fingerprinting records and services for people applying to be teachers, child care workers and nurses’ aides, according to the announcement.
O’Brien "has the expertise to get this program up and running with integrity,’’ said Mary O’Dowd, commissioner for the Department of Health and Senior Services.
Recent Star-Ledger reports have raised concerns about the vetting of two of the six proposed centers and other problems with the program, including appeals filed by four separate centers challenging the state’s selection process. O’Dowd indicated that the new boss would address those concerns.
"No Alternative Treatment Center will be issued a permit to grow or dispense medicinal marijuana," she said, "until each applicant, its officers, board members and employees have been thoroughly vetted" and have met all regulatory requirements.
O’Brien plans to start work Monday.
"I am appreciative of the confidence and support shown to me by Commissioner O’Dowd," O’Brien said. "I believe the Administration and the Legislature have developed a firm foundation on which to build this program. I look forward to the opportunity to successfully bring the program to full implementation."
Roseanne Scotti, director of New Jersey Drug Policy Alliance and a major proponent for the law’s passage, called the choice of a law enforcement officer to run the program "disappointing."
"The people who need access to medical marijuana are patients. They are not criminals,’’ Scotti said. "I think it would have been more appropriate to have the program headed by a medical doctor."
Gov. Christie has said repeatedly he does not think the law is stringent enough to keep the drug out of the hands of recreational users, and said he is worried New Jersey’s program could become as permissive as California and Colorado. Christie inherited the program from his predecessor Jon Corzine who signed it into law on his last day in office nearly two years ago.
"I understand there has to be security. It’s in the law and regulations and the Attorney General has a role to play here in terms of background checks,’’ Scotti said. "I know from talking to the patients they feel the emphasis of the program has been on law and security, rather than providing them the relief they need."
Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), a municipal prosecutor who co-sponsored the state’s medical marijuana law, said hiring a law enforcement officer to oversee the program "could go either way."
"It depends on the individual, and from what I’m told, this gentleman believes in the merits in the program," Scutari said. " In order to give the program credibility, it could be helpful."
Scutari said he’s already requested that O’Brien call him so they can talk about the program’s progress.
"Let’s get this done already," he said. "Let’s get to work."
O’Brien retired in June with a $83,880-a-year pension, according to the state Treasury website.
His new job will pay $84,000 a year, state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner said.
David Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, said he doesn’t know O’Brien well but is familiar with his "unique" career path in State Police. O’Brien is known for taking on jobs that need strong "organizational, administrative and compliance" skills, Jones said.
Jones said he imagined O’Brien was a stand-out candidate because of his experience in creating a firearms purchasing program that allowed an instant check of federal and state criminal records.
"His skill set is putting together these computer-tracking mechanisms," Jones said.
The medical marijuana program had been unofficially run by Joe Eldridge, the director of the Division of Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health, and Eric Lieberman, an attorney within the Division of Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health. Both Eldridge and Lieberman, who served on the selection committee in the spring, handled the day-to-day tasks of running the program, such as asking the centers for status updates, handling conference calls and answering inquiries from patients and doctors.
Leusner did not answer a question asking if they would still be involved in the program.
O’Brien’s appointment caps a busy week in what has been a slow rollout of the program created by a law that passed nearly two years ago. Last week, the health commissioner hired New York pediatrician Arturo Brito as Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services, whose job includes oversight of the medical marijuana program. O’Brien will report to him. The department also released a final set of rules last week that will govern the program’s operation.
By Susan K. Livio and Amy Brittain/The Star-Ledger