Medical Marijuana Finally Gains Ground

Dragonfan · December 25, 2008

22 December 2008

George Amick

Times of Trenton

Those who favor a sensible and compassionate approach to the use of illegal drugs in New Jersey must continually contend with a tough bunch of hard-liners at the Statehouse. It took more than a decade for them to win approval for a cautious test of programs that give intravenous drug users access to clean needles to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases.

And they've been trying for nearly four years to legalize the medical use of marijuana under tight restrictions for sufferers who could benefit from its use. Once again, they're butting heads with legislative drug warriors for whom any policy other than banning the stuff represents -- like the pool table Professor Hill warned the people of River City about -- "the road to degradation."

Still, progress happens. Last week, the Senate Health Committee approved S119, the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, to allow chronically ill patients who are certified by a doctor to petition the Department of Human Services to allow them to smoke marijuana as a palliative. Approved patients would receive an ID card allowing them to grow up to six marijuana plants or obtain the drug at an alternative medicine center.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Linden, cleared the committee by a 5-1 vote, with two abstentions. After hearing testimony, sometimes passionate, from both sides, the majority was persuaded that marijuana appears to have significant value for easing the suffering of victims of multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS and other debilitating diseases when conventional medicine doesn't work .

Thirteen states, including Sarah Palin's Alaska, already authorize doctors to prescribe marijuana under specified conditions. These laws are fiercely opposed by the Bush Justice Department, which has ignored them in its zealous enforcement of the federal ban on the sale or possession of pot. The incoming Obama administration is considered likely to be much less hostile, though.

What encourages advocates in New Jersey is the bipartisan nature of the effort to bring change to the state. Although Republicans tend to oppose medical marijuana -- Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, R-Westfield, cast the sole "no" vote in the Senate committee -- it has significant GOP support, as well.

Sen. Bill Baroni, R-Hamilton, who voted "yes" on S119, told The Courier-Post that he had spent the weekend before the committee meeting reading literature on both sides of the argument.

"The people who are asking us to do this today, these are people who can't play piggyback with their 3-year-old," Baroni said. "These are people who get up every day and battle HIV/AIDS. They are people who wonder if their chemotherapy is going to work. I can't look at those folks and let them be perhaps the only ones who don't have the ability to have less pain."

The bill's Assembly version, A804, is co-sponsored by Reed Gusciora, D-Princeton Borough, one of the most liberal members of the Legislature, and Michael Patrick Carroll, R-Morris Township, one of the most conservative.

"There is no such thing as an evil plant," Carroll has said. "If a doctor using his or her best medical judgment thinks marijuana is the best thing for the patient, he or she should be allowed to prescribe it. Use it as medical science decides it should be used."

The road ahead is uncertain. Next year is an election year, and even though there's strong evidence that medical marijuana is favored by the public, the issue is certain to be part of the campaign debate.

S119 has yet to be scheduled for a Senate floor vote, and A804 still awaits hearings in the Assembly Health Committee. Still, Gusciora is cautiously optimistic that the bill eventually will reach Gov. Jon Corzine, who has promised to sign it.

Approval of the proposal by the Senate committee "will provide political cover" for wavering legislators, Gusciora said. "It will show that the sky won't fall on anyone voting 'yes.'"

George Amick can be reached at gamick@njtimes.com.

Budman2012 · December 25, 2008

Well done , T'was a nicely written article ...

The real crime is of the dispassionate hypocrites ..

All my best to to the people with chronic pain .. no doubt ... but there is no doubt also that a larger scope to the situation for many more that suffer .. exists , and this also should be taken into serious consideration by the "authorities" to help alleviate much stress on All systems .. and to of course respect Everyone regardless of your politics is certainly a pre-requisite in any political or religious or spitual or ridiculous mind ..

Maybe I ramble right now .. but At least I know , the passion remains ... the fire has not died .. candle still lit .. brain is not fried .. Intellect not denied .. and respect should be required ...

Maybe I stop ramble now ... It's gettin late .. shant debate .. time to go but who would know .. It's pretty Basic 1 point 0 .. but whoa .. then the BFG got his go .. garage blow and slippery Dahls and the Dr who had Zues'd it all ...