Editorial: Medical marijuana finally reaches the hands of those suffering in N.J.

The Times Editorial Board

It’s been nearly a week since the first medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors in New Jersey. So far, there has been no sign of reefer madness on the streets of Montclair where the Greenleaf Compassion Center has set up its innocuous storefront.

More importantly, the first patients are finding relief from their chronic pain with the low-grade strains of marijuana approved by the state.

One of those initial patients is Susan Sturner of Lawrence who devoted most of a day last week to the 100- mile round trip to the distribution center in Essex County. Sturner, who suffers from glaucoma and its side effects of intense headache and nausea, returned with a half-ounce of pot to ingest by smoking and brewing tea.

In an interview with Times staffer Christina Izzo, Sturner described the painful and frustrating journey that led her finally to a safe treatment for easing her symptoms and lessening the pressure on her optic nerves.

Also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, fibromyalgia and hepatitis C, Sturner was not eligible for the state’s medical marijuana program until her glaucoma became severe.

Worried about going blind and facing surgery with no guarantee of success, Sturner also is unable to use eye medications due to allergies. She’s found an answer in the small quantity of pot that cost $260 — as well as the 7 percent state tax.

Now that the program is up and running — and none of the nightmare scenarios predicted by opponents of the dispensaries has materialized — we hope that the other five nonprofits with permission to open centers will have better success in convincing municipalities that they represent not a threat but therapy.

While another center is expected to open in Egg Harbor, that location still will be an inconvenience for Central Jersey patients.

The Obama administration recently said it will not prosecute dispensaries that comply with state laws even though the federal government considers marijuana illegal. As the scouting for a Trenton-area location continues, perhaps that promise will allay some of the fears and opposition expressed at various hearings.

Two things we’d like to suggest for the Legislature’s January to-do list:
• Reconsider the tax that’s out of place in a state where other prescription medications and over-the-counter remedies such as cough medicine are exempt.
• And consider expanding the list of chronic conditions and illnesses eligible for treatment to help other New Jersey residents suffering needlessly.