Our previous post discussed medical marijuana laws in New Jersey. A medical marijuana dispensary opened just last week in the state, attracting lots of media attention and subsequent conversations regarding pot in the garden state.
As promised in the last drug law post, below we will list some of the stipulations regarding the medicalmarijuana laws of New Jersey. There is more to the legalization of the drug than a patient simply needing a medical card:
- The locations where medical marijuana can be grown and purchased will be limited in the state in comparison to places like Colorado and California. New Jersey patients are prohibited from growing their own marijuana at their homes.
- They must get it from one of the few alternative treatment centers that are approved by the government to dispense the drug. Only six businesses have been given the permission to dispense medical marijuana. Only one has opened for business. Still, patients can only legally get marijuana from one of these facilities.
- Only three strains of marijuana are legally approved for growing in New Jersey. There is also a legal limit for how potent the THC level can be of a strain.
- Only certain doctors can prescribe medical marijuana to patients and assist in helping a patient apply for a medical marijuana ID card.
- Getting approved for a medical ID card is relatively more difficult in New Jersey than in other states because fewer conditions qualify a patient for the treatment.
These are just brief outlines of some of the complexities tied into the new marijuana laws of New Jersey. A criminal defense attorney with experience in drug cases would be a valuable source for someone worried about abiding by the changing laws or defending their future against a drug charge they already face.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Buzzkill: N.J. medical marijuana regulations are the nation's toughest," Chris Goldstein, Dec. 6, 2012