MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL APPROVED

TRENTON -- A plan to allow marijuana to be prescribed in New Jersey
for medicinal purposes is on the verge of becoming law, following
votes in both houses of the Legislature on the last day of its
two-year session Monday.

The Assembly voted 48-14 in favor of the bill and the Senate voted for
the bill 25-13.

"We have learned from other states' mistakes. We have put so many
safeguards and so many difficulties to get it, that you can rest
assured and sleep well that this will not do anything but help sick
people," Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, said.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, said the bill would set up "the
strictest medical marijuana law in the nation" with more oversight
than other states and a requirement that the state issue a report on
the law's implementation in 2012.

"Criminal laws are still going to apply to even patients who use
medical marijuana if they choose to drive," Gusciora said. "This is
not a get-out-of-the-jail free card. This is for patients who truly
need it, and only the most chronic and debilitating diseases will be
eligible."

Gov. Jon S. Corzine has said he would sign the bill.

The bill qualifies patients with severe or chronic pain, HIV/AIDS,
cancer, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's
disease, and terminal illness if a physician determines a patient has
less than a year to live.

Other amendments to the bill made last week delete a requirement that
only the patient's primary-care physician can prescribe marijuana,
require a patient's primary caregiver undergo a state and federal
background check at their cost, permit a patient to be dispensed two
ounces of marijuana a month and allow for the establishment of
for-profit treatment centers.