New Jersey Passes Medical Marijuana Legislation

New Jersey is the latest state to join the ranks of those allowing medicinal marijuana. According to Assemblyman Reed Gusciora in this report from the Philadelphia Inquirer, New Jersey’s will be the strictest medical marijuana law yet. The bill was carefully constructed to limit usage, and avoid the problems in California, where some say the law is so broad as to be de-facto marijuana legalization.

Over the past several years our country has seen support for medical marijuana rise. Despite the strict nature of the New Jersey legislation, the Assembly passed it with a 48-14 vote while the Senate passed it with 25-13. The Drug Policy Alliance found in 2006 that 86% of the people of New Jersey supported the seriously ill having access to marijuana.

With the new legislation that’s exactly who will benefit: the seriously ill, those with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy for example. Law makers are quick to point out that the new medical marijuana laws will only allow the drug to be prescribed to the sickest patients, even limiting the amount they can have to 2 ounces per month.

Before people in New Jersey think they have a free pass to smoke and carry marijuana, however, they should know that if anything these laws will make the police and prosecutors crack down even more on those people who are using it illegally.

Reports of rampant abuse of the medical marijuana laws in California and Colorado have officials in New Jersey frightened of the same thing happening here. In an effort to keep things under control, the legal users can expect to be under tight restrictions while those who use illegally can expect to face criminal charges for their actions if caught.

Being charged with  marijuana possession in New Jersey is often seen as a minor offense. When compared with other serious controlled substances, being caught with marijuana is fairly minor, but NJ still has fairly tough marijuana possession laws. And any criminal charge is a serious issue in your life, which can lead to a permanent criminal record.

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