Vitale/Scutari/O’Scanlon Issue Statements on Medical Marijuana Signing

Trenton – The state’s medical marijuana program will be vastly expanded under the terms of the “Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act” that was signed by Governor Phil Murphy today.

Sponsored by Senator Joseph Vitale, the chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, Senator Nicholas Scutari, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senator Declan O’Scanlon, the legislation will transform what was one of the more restrictive medical marijuana programs in the country into one that is accessible, affordable and that better serves the needs of patients in New Jersey.

“This expansion of our medical marijuana program is patient-centric and patient-first,” said Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex). “With these long overdue reforms, we will treat patients with the dignity they deserve, recognize the full benefits of cannabis and ensure that compassion is a mainstay in New Jersey’s medical marijuana program. It is critically important that we provide relief to those with qualifying conditions right now, and this bill becoming law will do just that. ”

“This is a momentous day for New Jersey and the individuals that have been forced to endure suffering due to their lack of access to medicinal cannabis,” said Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union). “The restrictiveness of New Jersey’s medical marijuana program is why I sponsored and passed the original legislation for reforms in the Senate a decade ago. This is only the beginning of great things to come for New Jersey’s cannabis industry.”

“Jake Honig’s Law is a compassionate, comprehensive effort to help countless seriously-ill patients in New Jersey get the relief they need. I am proud to have sponsored this law, and I am grateful that we are naming it after Jake,” Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said. “We have heard so many examples of medical marijuana patients like Jake, who experience significant benefits, with minimal side effects. Overall, this is a responsible way to make medical marijuana more accessible for a larger number of people. It’s a huge step in the right direction, and I’m grateful for the Honig family’s courageous efforts in this fight.”