The subject of medical marijuana can solicit everything from jokes about would-be practitioners seeing patients in their basements in Cranford to bona fide discussions about making it more widely available to patients. We here at The Law Offices of Anthony N. Palumbo have been asked by clients when it is OK to possess marijuana for medical purposes. This is an excellent question, because as you may have already discovered, using it for solely for its health benefits does not necessarily mean that you are doing it legally.
New Jersey law does indeed recognize the health benefits offered by marijuana and thus allows its use per the under the direction of the state’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. When initially enacted, the Act authorized the use of marijuana for the treatment of the following conditions:
- Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity, post-traumatic stress disorder, glaucoma or seizure disorders (including epilepsy)
- Manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome or cancer (or the side effects caused by conventional treatments)
- Amyotrophic lateral scelrosis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and inflammatory bowel disease (including Chron’s disease)
The law was later amended to also allow for the use of marijuana to treat migraines, anxiety and Tourette’s syndrome. Doctor’s might also prescribe it to help you deal with any pain you are experiencing related to a terminal condition for which your prognosis suggests you have less than 12 months to live.
To use marijuana for medical treatments, you must be certified by your doctor to do so. You will be added to the state’s Department of Health Registry and issues an identification card, which then allows you to purchase marijuana from designated alternative treatment centers. You cannot grow it on your own. More information on the state’s specific drug laws can be found by continuing to explore our site.
