Gov Christie. Asm Gusciora Announce quasi-Agreement on Medicinal Marijuana

The Governor scores again (4.00 / 2)

Out of at least 20 bad provisions in the Health Department plan, Gusciora got the Governor to change two of them. It's still still restrictive, onerous and unworkable.  Sen. Scutari's resolution that Gusciora got passed in the Assembly would have changed four provisions and was a better deal but still insufficient. The governor offers crumbs and Gusciora appears appreciative.  The bottom line is that the governor does not support medical marijuana and has no interest in creating a successful, beneficial program. In the process Christie is trying to reduce the likelihood of having to deal with a meddlesome legislative resolution mandating two changes more than his "compromise."  Score a gain for the governor but a loss for the legislature and for people in need of medical cannabis.

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Fri Dec 03, 2010 at 20:31:31 PM UTC

Crumbs? (4.00 / 1)

King Christie using crumbs to divide and conquer? He's doing pretty well, don'cha think?

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

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by: Babs NJSD @ Mon Dec 06, 2010 at 00:14:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

A travesty (4.00 / 1)

As a further footnote to this travesty, since the governor now feels he has reached a deal with Assemblyman Gusciora, the Health Department today cancelled its one and only Marijuana Regulations Public Hearing scheduled for Monday. This cancellation deprives patients, advocates, physicians, and potential grantees from expressing their concerns and arguing for more changes. A Public Hearing is an important event for proposed regulations, and its cancellation reduces a "hindrance" for the Health Department.  It becomes incredibly irritating how our governor outfoxes the legislature, smoothes the path for an impaired program, and quells dissent.

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Fri Dec 03, 2010 at 21:20:42 PM UTC

Now Now (3.00 / 1)

Bill:  My agreement is from only one legislator.  Nick is still free to move forward with his resolution in the Senate (he may now have the votes with the addition of Linda Greenstein... or maybe not).  That said, if the regs are declared null and void, the Administration will go back to the drawing board.  You surmised that the Gov doesn't want the program in the first place.  How long do you think it will take him to redraft the regs once they are declared null and void? While not perfect, I believe with time and studies, the regs will be relaxed enough so that the other things we fought for will be eventually added.  At least the field is cleared to get this thing started.  I do appreciate you pointing out the legislation first introduced in the Senate, declaring the regs null and void, only mentions four points.  that's what I had to work with -- and I did agree to intro the Assembly version  (which did pass there).  if I added the other "20 bad provisions" you cited, it would have delayed the legislative oversight even further.  All in all , half a loaf is better than none.  I was proud to be one of the first legislators advocating a medical marijuana program when even many Dems were against the idea.  Notwithstanding, the Senate can still act.  I'm willing to bet if it does however, don't look for the program to get off the ground any time soon. I believe that patients who are suffering now, need to be considered as a paramount concern.  You may disagree, but that was my only motivation. rewriting NJ's medical marijuana law to conform with more relaxed states such as California or Colorado needs to be saved for another day. Reed  

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by: FlamingModerate @ Sat Dec 04, 2010 at 16:56:17 PM UTC

Appreciate your support Reed, but... (4.00 / 1)

Many of us appreciate your strong support for the Medical Marijuana law and your leadership in the Assembly passage of the concurrent resolution.

You say that your "agreement is from only one legislator" - yourself. Unfortunately, that did not stop Governor Christie from holding a press conference, announcing a compromise was reached, reducing the number of changes required, and cancelling the Public Hearing. As you point out, Nick is still free to move forward with his resolution, but I suspect you are aware he feels betrayed by your cutting a side deal which worsens an already impaired program and makes his resolution all the more difficult to achieve. With such a dominant Republican governor it becomes suicidal for individual Democratic leaders to part ways with their colleagues and create a rift.

I agree that implementing a program as soon as possible is paramount for those whose pain can be alleviated by cannabis.  Unfortunately what we are receiving is not "half a loaf" but crumbs that can only lead to an unworkable program. Redrafting the regs would not have to necessitate a long period as the hard work has been done and only some 20 changes are needed.  Believing "that with time and studies the regs will be relaxed," might well be akin to saying that the governor in a year or two will decide to add a higher tax bracket for millionaires.  

You indicate that I surmise that the Governor does not want the program. In fact, the Governor said on several occasions that if the bill had been presented to him, he would not have signed it. And therein lies the problem.

I and many advocates are not arguing that the NJ law has to mimic that of California or Colorado, but allowing a higher thc level, more strains, lower fees, an edible version and other similar changes are not unreasonable requests. Also as the "worst are full of passionate intensity," we don't want to see that "The best lack all conviction." Again, appreciate your efforts but hope you will stick to your guns.

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Sat Dec 04, 2010 at 19:09:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

SCUTARI STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA ANNOUNCEMENT (0.00 / 0)

TRENTON - Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) issued the following
statement today after learning of the agreement between the
Administration and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora on changes to the medical
marijuana regulations. The Senator, who was the prime sponsor of the
"New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Law," introduced a
resolution in October challenging the Administration's regulations,
which did not comply with the Legislature's intent of the law:

"I'm encouraged to hear the governor has decided to follow the
legislative intent of the medical marijuana law, but I am waiting to see the revised regulations in writing before I make any decisions on how to move forward."

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Sat Dec 04, 2010 at 22:00:29 PM UTC

"Stabbed in the back" (0.00 / 0)

As I heard, and read in PolitickerNJ, "Scutari, who was called out by Christie for being uncooperative, said he has not decided yet whether to go forth with the Senate resolution vetoing the regulations or to go along with the accord between Christie and Gusciora, especially since he had no idea it was going to be announced.  "I'm still bleeding here," Scutari said. "When you get stabbed in the back by a member of your own party..." He was also unhappy that medical marijuana advocates were notably missing from the governor's announcement."

"The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." - Sen. Ted Kennedy

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by: Bill Orr @ Sun Dec 05, 2010 at 01:04:06 AM UTC