New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program

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New jersey Medical Marijuana

How to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient in New Jersey

1. The candidate must reside in New Jersey.

2. The candidate must have a DHHS registered physician who can confirm that the patient is afflicted with an active debilitating health condition. The physician should further attest that the patient is already seeking treatment and that medical marijuana might be necessary to alleviate his symptoms. The physician should be someone who is currently responsible for your medical case. There are medical marijuana doctors available here in New Jersey for patients who need them.

3. Note: Be prepared with your medical records copy when you go to your appointed medical marijuana evaluation. Your copy must show your diagnosis as having a qualifying condition.

4. The candidate can then avail his own NJMMP Medical Marijuana card after being registered with the DHSS by his physician.

New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card

Medical Marijuana ID cards, otherwise known as cannabis cards, will be given to patients through the New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program (NJMMP) as stated in the New Jersey Medical Marijuana law. Last April, this program was stopped but Governor Christie urged it to resume just this July. Medical Marijuana cards might not be purchased by patients yet till the end of this year thus the following guidelines for NJMMP application has been given by the NJMMP itself:

Steps for Registering a Patient for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Medicinal Marijuana Program

The application of the patient can be done by his doctor by registering online at http://njmmp.nj.gov.

1. Before registering their patients, doctors must first register themselves with the MMP.

2. In filling out their own registration, doctors should put in their Division of Consumer Affairs medical and CDS license numbers aside from their own name and birth date. After their registration has been submitted, it will then be confirmed and approved by the staff of MMP. These DCA verified medical and CDS license numbers are both necessary for the completion of the registration.

3. Doctors can then access their own accounts to start applications for their patients upon approval of their registration. The name, address, birthday and debilitating health condition of the patient should be entered in the application. A Patient ID can now be made after the above-mentioned information has been provided.

4. This ID page can then be printed out by the doctor to give to his patient for the completion of the application. On-line registration is possible at http://njmmp.nj.gov. Patients should click “Patient Registration” and put in their patient ID. They can send their applications as well to the MMP by mail. Registration of patients will commence in the latter parts of this year.

Approved: Jan. 11, 2010 by House, 48-14; by Senate, 25-13

Signed into law by Gov. Jon Corzine on Jan. 18, 2010

Effective: Six months from enactment [Editor's Note: S119 was supposed to become effective six months after it was enacted on Jan. 18, 2010, but the legislature, DHHS, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did not agree on the details of how the program would be run. The DHHS website FAQs section indicates that medical marijuana will be available to patients in July 2011.] It saves patients using medical marijuana for relief of symptoms of their debilitating health condition from arrest, property forfeiture, prosecution, and criminal and other offenses as well. Their doctors, designated caregivers and authorized producers of medical marijuana are protected as well. It also enables the building of other treatment centers of not less than two each in the northern, southern and central state regions respectively. These first two centers in each region that will be granted a permit will become nonprofit centers while the succeeding centers will then become either nonprofit or for-profit centers.

Approved Conditions: Seizure disorders which include epilepsy, chronic or severe pain, severe nausea or vomiting, intractable skeletal muscular spasticity, glaucoma, cachexia, or wasting syndrome resulting from HIV/AIDS or cancer; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease), multiple sclerosis, terminal cancer, muscular dystrophy, or inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease; terminal illness, if the doctor has made a prognosis of not more than12 months more of life or any other health condition or its treatment approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Possession/Cultivation: It is the doctors who will assess the amount of medical marijuana needed by a patient and provide a written instruction which will be shown to the alternative treatment facility. In a month’s time, the acceptable amount of medical marijuana is two ounces.

Sources of medical marijuana: The patients are not given the freedom to cultivate their own medical marijuana. The New Jersey DHHS made an announcement last Mar. 21, 2011 on the site of six alternative nonprofit treatment centers wherein marijuana can be availed. By summer of 2011, ATCs are expected to be available in the state’s northern, southern and the central regions. Medicaid does not cover medical marijuana.

Patient Registry Fee:

A fee of $200 is valid for two years. Patients qualifying for federal or state assistance programs can obtain a reduced fee of $20.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP):

• How do I get approved to use medicinal marijuana?

To be able to participate in the program, your doctor must first be DHHS registered. He must also confirm that you are seeking treatment for your debilitating health condition and the use of medical marijuana may alleviate your symptoms. This doctor must have a current responsibility for your medical case.

• How soon can patients register and obtain medicinal marijuana?

A patient’s doctor is first required to be registered with the MMP. After he has been registered and consequently confirmed by DHHS personnel, they will then be able to confirm their patients to possess the qualifying conditions. The doctors will be given access codes to pass to their patients so these patients can now have themselves registered online or by mail. This registration of patients is expected to start late this year. Patients are advised to follow this webpage for updates and additional information.

• What is a bona fide physician relationship?

It is required that the doctor has been seeing the patient for not less than a year, OR The patient has been to this same doctor four times regarding his debilitating condition, OR The doctor is assigned the responsibility to render care and management to the patient regarding his debilitating health condition after a thorough medical history as well as physical examination has been done, which includes review of the medical records of the patient handled by other physicians showing the reaction and response of the patient and his response to ordinary medical interventions.

• What conditions qualify someone to participate?

Patients with weakening or incapacitating medical conditions must be certified by their physicians in order for them to qualify as participants. Some of these medical conditions are multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and terminal cancer among others. If the physician makes a prognosis that the patient has less than 12 months to live due to a terminal illness, then it also makes him or her qualified for participation.

Glaucoma, intractable skeletal muscular spasticity, epilepsy, and other seizure disorders are also qualified since conventional methods or medical therapy is not effective on these conditions.

If the treatment for cancer, HIV, and AIDS increases the severity, or if the condition itself is severe and causes extreme pain, vomiting or nausea, and wasting syndrome or cachexia, then the conditions are also qualify the patient for participation.

• My condition is debilitating but it’s not on that list. What can I do?

If a patient’s condition makes him qualified, a petition can be filed once a year in order for another assessment for the program to take place.

• It’s too difficult for me to travel. Can someone help me get medicinal marijuana?

In cases where in the patient cannot travel, an appointed primary caregiver must first get cleared from a criminal background check. He or she must also be registered as the caregiver of the patient with the Alternative Treatment Center which is responsible in providing the medical marijuana.

• Can dispensaries deliver?

As part of their standard operating procedures, medical marijuana is not shipped or delivered to the patient.

• How much medicinal marijuana can an approved patient get each month?

A qualified patient is allowed to receive at most 2 ounces of medical marijuana within a period of 30 days.

• Can I share or give away medicinal marijuana?

Unfortunately, qualified patients who have obtained medical marijuana from Alternative Treatment Centers are not allowed to give or share with anyone else. Anyone who will be caught with the possession of marijuana will be arrested and will undergo criminal prosecution as stated by the Compassionate Use Law.

• Can patients consume medicinal marijuana on-site at the Alternative Treatment Center that supplies their marijuana?

Consumption of obtained medical marijuana in the premises of the Alternative Treatment Centers is not allowed.

• Can dispensaries provide food products with marijuana in them?

Food products that contain marijuana are not provided by the ATC.

• Can I grow my own medicinal marijuana?

Growing your own medical marijuana is prohibited.

• Is there a fee to register?

Qualified patients and their appointed caregivers are required to pay a registration fee of $200, which is applicable for a duration of 2 years. For patients who are qualified for other federal or state assistance programs, the fee is reduced to $20.

• Is medicinal marijuana covered by Medicaid?

Medicaid does not cover services for medical marijuana.

• Who will grow the medicinal marijuana?

After going through a competitive process, the chosen nonprofit growers are announced publicly.

• How many Alternative Treatment Centers will there be?

After undergoing a competitive process, there will only be 6 chosen nonprofit Alternative Treatment Centers.

• Where will the ATCs be located?

The selected Alternative Treatment Centers will be designated in the northern, southern, and central areas of New Jersey. Based on the proposed rules, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset, Monmouth, Union, and Ocean will have ATCs for central New Jersey. ATCs for northern New Jersey will include Hudson, Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Warren, and Sussex. Southern New Jersey ATCs are in Salem, Cumberland, Atlantic, Gloucester, Burlington, Cape May, and Camden.

• What other states have passed medicinal marijuana laws?

Aside from New Jersey, there are 15 other states that have enacted the law on medical marijuana. These states are California, Alaska, Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, Hawaii, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico, Washington, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Also enacting the law is the District of Columbia.

: Primary Caregivers

Primary caregivers are those appointed by patients who are qualified to participate in the medical marijuana Alternative Treatment Centers. They are responsible for providing the obtained medicine to the patients. Other than that, their responsibilities also include caring for the patients and monitoring their medical conditions as well.

If a patient is not capable to travel and pick up the medical marijuana, an appointed primary caregiver may do so, provided that he or she is cleared from a criminal background check and is registered with the Alternative Treatment Center.

Finding a Medical Marijuana Caregiver

After examining the relevant laws on medical marijuana, if a patient decides that he or she needs the assistance of a caregiver, hiring a medical marijuana caregiver is highly recommended. There are many online and offline listings in hiring medical marijuana caregivers. As the risks in working as a caregiver are high and the wages are low, you may encounter listings that are not updated and the person you are trying to contact may not work in that field anymore.

It is also wise to consult your medical marijuana doctor or physician in referring you to an available medical marijuana caregiver. If you have relatives or know someone else in your area who is a medical marijuana patient, you can probably ask whether their caregiver can also provide services to you. When choosing among several applicants, here are some suggestions for an interview:

• Ask about how many patients that he or she is currently serving, and whether or not he or she has had a patient with a condition similar to yours.

• Explain your needs to the caregiver, and when those needs should be catered to.

• For security purposes, it is best to do an interview in public, rather than inviting the caregiver right in to your home.

• Making use of Google or other search engines may help in determining the reliability of applicants. It may sound strange, but it can be surprising how some results can be useful in choosing the right medical marijuana caregiver.

Medical Marijuana Caregiver Alternatives

If a patient does not need the services of a medical marijuana caregiver, he or she may be allowed to join a co-op or grow his or her own plants. This is only applicable to some states, as different laws may allow or prohibit this. With the necessary license and additional paperwork, you can also acquire cannabis from marijuana dispensaries.

It is also wise to take note that medical marijuana caregivers make it convenient for a patient to acquire medical marijuana. Their job involves great risks in transporting or carrying the marijuana to be sold to the patients. If by any chance you hired a medical marijuana caregiver who grows his or her own plants, you may be arrested for purchasing illegally grown marijuana. As for the caregiver, the intent to sell is equivalent to a much greater crime which is also punishable by law.

How to Find and Choose Medical Marijuana Doctors

As a patient who is qualified to use medical marijuana for treatment, your physician or medical marijuana doctor plays a vital role in the success of the treatment. If you live in a state that has legalized the use of medical marijuana recently, it may be a challenge to find a physician for medical marijuana. Once you have established an understanding of the laws on medical marijuana, you can begin searching for a medical marijuana doctor. Knowing what privileges and restrictions that these laws cover will ensure that you get the desired outcome from consulting with your medical marijuana doctor.

If you are already familiar with the state laws and regulations in your city or county, you can either consult with your current physician to refer you to a medical marijuana doctor or find a specialist by yourself.

Talking to Your Doctor About Medical Marijuana

A good first step toward becoming a medical marijuana patient is by asking your general practitioner for a recommendation. Your doctor should be both willing and able to offer a referral to a specialist and/or discuss medical marijuana with you since doctors are legally protected from punishment for recommending medical cannabis therapy. Medical marijuana specialists are protected by law to prescribe medical cannabis as long as they are in compliance with applicable state laws that may indicate drug trafficking activities.

Come prepared with your medical evaluation report indicating that your condition can effectively be treated or diminished by using medical marijuana just in case your physician will be reluctant to recommend medical marijuana or refer you to a medical marijuana specialist. Be open with your physician on any current cannabis usage and its results on your condition. Protect yourself by requesting that your physician’s recommendation be made in writing after your doctor agrees to recommend or refer you for medical marijuana. This written recommendation will help you if you are ever prosecuted for a crime related to your use of medical marijuana. You may see a medical marijuana specialist directly if your usual physician is unwilling to recommend or refer you for medical marijuana therapy, or if you are not comfortable in opening this matter with your physician.

Seeing a Doctor Who Specializes in Medical Marijuana

Referrals from other doctors or patients can also help you in finding medical marijuana doctors easily who focus on this type of therapy. Surfing online would be your next option if you were not able to find a medical marijuana doctor through personal recommendations. Search online with reliable directories and reputable websites. Stay away from free classified sites like Craigslist.

It will be your task as a patient to make the most of your appointment once you have found a medical marijuana specialist. In receiving a medical marijuana recommendation from your specialist, take the following steps to increase your likelihood of receiving this therapy:

• Bring your written referrals and a copy of your medical evaluation records at your first appointment with the specialist.

• Explain your symptoms clearly and be prepared to convey concisely what you hope to gain from using medical marijuana.

• Getting an appointment doesn’t mean you’ll get a recommendation, so you have to understand that most medical marijuana doctors issue recommendations only to patients who legitimately have medical conditions that require medical marijuana therapy.

• Prepare a list of questions for the medical marijuana specialist including matters in acquiring medical marijuana and if you will be needing a caregiver once you start taking medical marijuana.

Any medical marijuana doctor should be able to give you a recommendation as long as you have a qualifying condition like glaucoma, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis or cancer. Look for a different medical marijuana doctor if for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the specialist. Be polite and feel free to thank the specialist for the time given and exit the office.