ARTICLE: New Jersey moving forward on medicinal marijuana

Phillip Tomlinson/The News of Cumberland County 04/22/2012 4:00 AM

After years of preparation, New Jersey’s medicinal marijuana program will soon be bearing fruit, and buds, for chronically ill residents.

The Department of Health and Senior Services announced last week that Greenleaf Compassion Center has become the first of six approved dispensaries to be issued a permit to grow medicinal marijuana.

Further, a permit to operate as an Alternative Treatment Center, which includes the authority to dispense the drug, will be issued to Greenleaf once its Montclair dispensary is operational and passes inspection by the state.
According to official projections, the drug should be available to patients within three to four months.

“The Department is committed to ensuring that medicinal marijuana is safely and securely available to patients as quickly as possible,” said Department Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd.

Greenleaf is the first of the approved dispensaries to commence growing operations, but other such operations are not far behind.

“Other organizations are working on the process,” said Donna Leusner, director of communications for the department. “One of the problems facing them is finding municipalities that are willing to host the operation; once the first center opens, however, and the public sees the secure measures and the regulatory process the state has in place, people will be assured about the safety and security of the program.”

Of all states with a medicinal marijuana program, New Jersey’s is among the most restricted and highly regulated.

The list of chronic ailments that qualify patients for a medicinal marijuana recommendation is short, and includes cancer, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, seizure disorders and Crohn’s disease. A recommendation can only be issued by a doctor who has registered with the state’s physician database.

Registered physicians must have an on-going relationship with patients before issuing recommendations, and must enter patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth and qualifying conditions into a secure online database.

As a part of the registration process, patients will also be required to submit a photo and obtain an identification card which lists the dispensary where they will procure their medicine.

“New Jersey’s medicinal marijuana program is based on a medical-model,” asserted Dr. Arturo Brito, Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services. “Physicians will have to monitor patients on medicinal marijuana as part of managing their medical condition.”
A list of participating physicians, which so far includes three from Cumberland County, has also been made available on the department’s website.

Participating local physicians include Dr. Robert Patitucci of Bridgeton, Dr. Steven Rodis of Millville, and Dr. Raghuraj Tomar of Vineland.

Registered physicians from Gloucester County are Dr. Peter Corda, Dr. Vannette Perkins, Dr. Jeffrey Polcer and Dr. Joseph Ranieri.

Currently, the patient registry is under construction, and recommendations cannot be issued until it is completed.

For more information about New Jersey’s medicinal marijuana program, or for a list of participating physicians, visit the Department of Health and Senior Services website at www.state.nj.us/health.

Contact Phillip Tomlinson at (856) 451-1000, ext. 445 or ptomlinson@southjerseymedia.com.