New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has finally signed into law a bill passed by the General Assembly earlier this year to allow those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, including veterans, to participate in the Garden State’s medical marijuana program.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that is estimated to affect eight million Americans annually, including many military veterans returning from combat, as well as victims and witnesses of violent crimes.
Assembly Bill 457 will allow veterans and others suffering from PTSD access to medical marijuana, but only if “conventional therapy” is ineffective. Christie called the prerequisite an “appropriate threshold safeguard to deter misuse” in the state’s medical marijuana program.
But Christie, a longtime foe of marijuana, hinted in his signing statement that he intends on meddling with the new law’s implementation:
“However, in order to further deter abuse, I am directing the Commissioner of the Department of Health to promulgate additional regulations that provide clear objective criteria regarding the use of medical marijuana for PTSD,” Christie said.
“Nevertheless, the mere potential for abuse by some should not deter the State from taking action that may ease the daily struggles of our veterans and others who legitimately suffer from PTSD. Accordingly, I am approving inclusion of PTSD as a debilitating medical condition in the Medical Marijuana Program,” he concluded.
Patients would also need to meet existing requirements for the state’s medical marijuana program as well, including obtaining certification of the patient’s health condition from a physician with whom the patient has a bona fide physician-patient relationship. The patient must also be a resident of New Jersey.
New Jersey is home to an estimated 480,000 veterans. It is believed that as many as 20 percent of veterans in New Jersey suffer from PTSD.
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