LEGAL POT MAY TAKE ROOT AT RUTGERS

Christie Wants N.J. to Have Centralized Production, Distribution for
Medical Marijuana

As Gov. Chris Christie's administration sees it, Rutgers University's
agricultural center should grow the pot and hospitals dispense it
under the state's new medical marijuana program, according to three
sources briefed on the proposal.

If legislators agree with the administration and amend a law that
passed in January, New Jersey would be the first among the 14 medical
marijuana states to run a centralized production and distribution
system. The proposed changes represent an even more restrictive
program - beyond one that was already the most conservative in the
country - and eliminate the option of entrepreneurial growers and
dispensaries getting some of the state's marijuana business.

Letting the program operate through one grower and hospitals would
minimize some of Christie's concern about the program posing a
security and safety threat, according to the sources, who requested
anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the details.

Critics have said the governor is needlessly dragging his feet in a
state that has at least 5,000 citizens who need the drug to alleviate
pain and suffering.

Roseanne Scotti, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance of
New Jersey, said she had heard "rumors" about the state wanting to
involve Rutgers and hospitals. She said she wished the administration
would stick to the bill that took years to pass.

"Why go back to drawing board, especially when seriously ill people
are waiting?" she asked. Scotti also said the changes would limit
economic growth from the medical marijuana industry.

"A lot of very responsible and respectable people have begun to step
forward," she said. "I thought the Christie administration is
supposedly business-friendly."

Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), one of the law's prime sponsors,
yesterday said state health officials approached him about changing
the law, but he declined to be specific. He described the changes
sought by Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh as
"interesting" but requiring more thought.

Scutari said he understands Christie "wants to make sure this is
strictly controlled - once the cat is out of the bag, it's hard to
stuff it back in. But I don't want to see this become too restrictive
. We are not giving out poison."

He also plans to introduce a bill Monday granting the Health
Department an additional 90 days - from October to January - to write
the rules and roll out the program. The administration had sought up
to a year's delay.

Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner declined to confirm
details about the proposed program.

"The department is still looking at many complex issues that will
allow for design of the safest and most effective program for those
patients who qualify," Leusner said.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), the other key sponsor, said he
was "supportive, if this is where they want to go."

He said he especially liked how Rutgers would be given "a great
opportunity academic-wise ... to be the cutting edge of developing
new strains of marijuana that deal with illness."

Bob Goodman, executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural
Experiment Station at Rutgers, declined to comment. In March, Goodman
confirmed the state had contacted the station to explore forming a
partnership over the medical marijuana program.