Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
There's a real New Jersey flavor – and not in a good way – to the continuing struggle to implement the state's medical marijuana law.
Restrictive rules imposed by Gov. Chris Christie threaten access to and the quality of the drug, weakening the ability of the measure to bring pain relief to chronically and terminally ill patients. Some critics of the rules have grown so frustrated that some are now talking about scrapping the measure altogether and starting fresh. Others, however, equally unhappy with the delay, are now suggesting that the law – with the Christie rules in place – be allowed to move forward because of the expectation that it will fail, forcing some easing of the regulations.
There may be some twisted logic in there, but only in contrast to the rest of the debate. Christie wants to avoid the experiences of states where lax regulations have prompted widespread of abuse of legal marijuana, with California the obligatory poster child. But such laws have worked better elsewhere – examples that never seem to be cited here.
Of particular concern is a provision that medical pot would only be available to patients after other treatments have failed, leaving wide open the question of what constitutes a comprehensive set of "other treatments" and how "failure" is to be determined.
A MISS for the maddening delays in bringing patients relief.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: MyCentralJersey.com
Copyright: 2011 MyCentralJersey.com
Contact: MyCentralJersey.com
Website: Rooting for medical pot bill to fail
Restrictive rules imposed by Gov. Chris Christie threaten access to and the quality of the drug, weakening the ability of the measure to bring pain relief to chronically and terminally ill patients. Some critics of the rules have grown so frustrated that some are now talking about scrapping the measure altogether and starting fresh. Others, however, equally unhappy with the delay, are now suggesting that the law – with the Christie rules in place – be allowed to move forward because of the expectation that it will fail, forcing some easing of the regulations.
There may be some twisted logic in there, but only in contrast to the rest of the debate. Christie wants to avoid the experiences of states where lax regulations have prompted widespread of abuse of legal marijuana, with California the obligatory poster child. But such laws have worked better elsewhere – examples that never seem to be cited here.
Of particular concern is a provision that medical pot would only be available to patients after other treatments have failed, leaving wide open the question of what constitutes a comprehensive set of "other treatments" and how "failure" is to be determined.
A MISS for the maddening delays in bringing patients relief.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: MyCentralJersey.com
Copyright: 2011 MyCentralJersey.com
Contact: MyCentralJersey.com
Website: Rooting for medical pot bill to fail
