Tagged: Medical Marijuana

Budget Matters, Incentives, and Cannabis Will Be This Summer’s Hot Topics in Trenton

The Summer is here and the halls of the Legislature are quiet, but three topics that controlled much of the debate in Trenton this year are expected to drag into the Fall: the state budget, economic incentives, and cannabis. Fiscal Year 2020 Governor Murphy signed the Fiscal Year 2020 budget on June 30, avoiding a government shutdown, but not ending the debate on taxes and spending. After the Legislature sent the Governor a budget that did not include a millionaire’s tax, corporate responsibility fee, and tax on opioid manufacturers, the Governor line-item vetoed several appropriations and signed an Executive Order authorizing the State Treasury to place in reserve approximately $235 million in state appropriations. In 2016,Governor Christie took similar action when his Administration froze approximately $100 million in spending as the state health benefit plan design committees considered cost reductions. Prior to the July 4th holiday, the Murphy Administration announced the full list of spending items placed in reserve. The funds will only be released after the Treasurer certifies that certain revenue objectives are met, meaning this issue will linger for several months. Economic Incentives Also on June 30, the State’s two main economic incentive programs, the Grow NJ Assistance Program (GROWNJ) and the Economic and Redevelopment Growth Grant (ERGG) Program, expired and new applications...

NJ Department of Health Issues Alternative Treatment Center Request for Applications

The New Jersey Department of Health issued a Request for Applications today that would license up to 108 Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) for the cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing of medical marijuana. Unlike the currently licensed ATCs, this call for applications does not require a licensee to be vertically integrated. The Department will, instead, issue endorsements for the various functions: cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensary. In total, the Department will seek up to 24 cultivation endorsements, up to 30 manufacturing endorsements, and up to 54 dispensary endorsements. Licenses will still be issued regionally, with up to 38 licenses available in the northern and central region, and 32 licenses in the southern region. The number of endorsements by region is as follows: Northern Region Cultivation endorsements: 8 Manufacturing endorsements: 10 Dispensary endorsements: 20 Central Region Cultivation endorsements: 8 Manufacturing endorsements: 10 Dispensary endorsements: 20 Southern Region Cultivation endorsements: 8 Manufacturing endorsements: 10 Dispensary endorsements: 14 Applications will become available on July 1, 2019 and will be due on August 15, 2019. A pre-submission webinar will be hosted by the Department on July 16, 2019. Please contact us should you have any questions about the endorsement and application process.

Four Things to Watch After Legislature Cancels Votes on Marijuana

To the dismay of advocates and the cheers of opponents, the New Jersey Legislature canceled its scheduled votes on a three-bill package to legalize marijuana for adult use, expand the State’s medical marijuana program, and expunge the records of certain marijuana offenders. For the time being, New Jersey will not become the eleventh state to legalize cannabis for recreational use. But with legislators still committed to moving the issue in the future, here are four things to watch in the coming months. Will the Governor Take Action to Expand the State’s Existing Medical Marijuana Program? Marijuana is legal for medical use in New Jersey, and the State’s medical program has seen a rapid expansion under the Murphy Administration. Under the current framework of the “Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act,” the Governor has the authority to permit more alternative treatment centers (ATCs) in the State, and to continue to expand the list of qualifying medical conditions that marijuana can be prescribed for. Governor Murphy and his Department of Health did a call for applicants in August 2018, and issued permits for six new vertically-integrated ATCs. The Governor expressed his desire to expand the medical marijuana program aggressively if legislation did not move forward. Administration officials have walked back the Governor’s statement in order to focus...

Applications Now Open for Six Additional Alternative Treatment Centers

New Jersey’s Department of Health is seeking applications for six new medical marijuana dispensaries, known as Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs), to be located in the Northern, Central, and Southern regions of the State. Below is some critical information on the application process which closes on August 31, 2018. Why the Department Needs Additional ATCs The six current licensed ATCs are reaching their limit in terms of the number of patients they can treat. In March 2018, Governor Murphy and the Department added five additional medical conditions to the list of qualifying diagnoses eligible for treatment with medicinal marijuana. Among the conditions were two new types of chronic pain, as well as anxiety, migraines, and Tourette’s Syndrome. Since the addition of these conditions, the program has grown by over 7,000 patients and the total number is in excess of 25,000 people. What the New ATCs Can Do The six ATCs to be licensed will be vertically integrated and allow for the cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing of marijuana. The Department’s objective is to have two licensees located in the Northern region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren), two in the Central region (Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union), and two in the Southern (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem). Key Dates...

Medical Marijuana Reforms on the Horizon

Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Legislature are taking actions towards expanding the medical marijuana program. The Governor announced new rules and regulations to reduce barriers to access for medical marijuana. These include expanding the list of debilitating medical conditions eligible for treatment with cannabis, permitting currently licensed Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) to dispense at satellite locations, eliminating the physician registry for doctors who prescribe marijuana, and soliciting new applicants for ATC permits. These actions stem from the Administration’s report on ways to expand access to marijuana for medical purposes. The New Jersey General Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee also recently approved legislation that would vastly expand the State’s existing medical marijuana program. The bill, A-3740, would allow medical marijuana to be prescribed for any condition and give greater flexibility for patients and caregivers to purchase and transport medical marijuana. Most importantly, and unlike the current medical marijuana distribution system where ATCs both cultivate and dispense medical marijuana, A-3740 creates a separate manufacturing and licensure system. The bill allows for the licensure of 34 medical marijuana dispensaries that would be authorized to dispense marijuana and marijuana products to patients. The legislation would also permit licensure of six medical marijuana cultivator-processors to process marijuana and marijuana infused/derived products, which it may supply to medical marijuana dispensaries....

Sufferers of PTSD Gain Access to Medicinal Marijuana

On September 14, 2016, New Jersey amended its medicinal marijuana law to add post-traumatic stress disorder (‘PTSD’) as a qualifying condition, permitting PTSD sufferers to gain access to this unconventional therapy for the first time. Some background — In 2009, New Jersey became the 14th state to allow access to medicinal marijuana. Over the past seven years, 11 additional states have expanded their laws to allow access to medical marijuana. In New Jersey, the original law provided access to medical marijuana for the following conditions: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Multiple sclerosis; Terminal cancer; Muscular dystrophy; Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease; Terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life; Seizure disorder, including epilepsy; Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity; Glaucoma; Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus; Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and Cancer. Under the amended law signed by Governor Christie, a patient with PTSD would be eligible for medicinal marijuana if she has been unsuccessful alleviating her symptoms with conventional medical therapy. Additionally, the patient would have to obtain certification of her condition from a physician with whom she has a “bona fide physician-patient relationship.” Several other recent developments on this issue merit a brief review. In August 2016, the Department of Health (“DOH”) asked for public input on additional...