Like other medical marijuana states, New Jersey has set strict limits on medical marijuana. These rules govern who qualifies to use cannabis-based treatments, who’s authorized to prescribe them, and what kinds of medicine manufacturers can produce and sell.
The new legislation brought to the Assembly Health Committee, however, would do away with most of those restrictions. For patients, that means wider, more expansive access to legal medical cannabis.
“There is no benefit in denying a patient relief,” said Assemblyperson Herb Conaway (D-Burlington), chair of the Health Committee. The Health Committee approved the measure on Thursday.
The changes the measure proposes are sweeping. Most significantly, it would eliminate restrictions based on qualifying conditions. Instead, the new measure would make medical cannabis available for any diagnosed condition.