TRENTON, N.J. — While he consistently opposes recreational marijuana use in New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie signed A-457/S-2345 into law on Wednesday.
Henceforth, New Jersey will permit the use of medical marijuana by qualifying patients suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“PTSD is a debilitating medical condition affecting the ability of the men and women who have served our country to lead normal lives. Throughout the country significant resources are being used to research PTSD and increase access to traditional treatments, such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications,” the Governor explained in an accompanying statement. “This bill would provide struggling veterans and others with the ability to use medical marijuana to treat PTSD, but only after it has been determined by a physician or psychiatrist that conventional medical therapy is ineffective.”
Christie further directed the Commissioner of the Department of Health to “promulgate additional regulations that provide clear objective criteria regarding the use of medical marijuana for PTSD” with the goal of curtailing potential abuse.
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