Tuesday, September 17, 2013

NJ Law Allows Minors to Access Medical Marijuana: Merrilee Viguers


Merrilee Viguers


N.J. law grants sick children access to edible medical marijuana

           

            Last Tuesday New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made a daring decision and signed a law which allows children access to medical marijuana. This law abolished the previous limit on the amount of cultivated marijuana strains. It’s required that parental permission is given, in order for eligible children to receive a wide variety of treatment options for their illness. However, in addition to parental consent, minors also needs approval from a psychiatrist and a physician in order to be prescribed medical marijuana. The marijuana is available to minors through syrups, tablets, drops, and capsules.

   Governor Christie stands by his decision stating that “parents, not government regulators, are best suited to decide how to care for their children, and this law advances that important principle.” His main concern as a Governor was to protect children and now that this law is set into place he feels that suffering children will be able to receive the treatment they need. Even though medical marijuana is now available to eligible minors, he still has safeguards in place to ensure the control of the dispensing of this drug. The origins of this bill started with the parents of a two year old girl who suffers from Dravet syndrome, which is a severe type of epilepsy. Her parents turned to medical marijuana after multiple failed attempts with anti-seizer medicines. In the end this law was put into place for the sake of sick children in hopes that it will ease their suffering.

            I recently watched a documentary that discussed the use of medical marijuana as an anti-seizer treatment and it was surreal idea that shocked many people, especially parents. In the past most American’s viewed marijuana as an evil drug that causes “Reefer Madness” and should never be used. Now it seems that the tables are turning, more and more Americans are in favor of relaxing the marijuana laws. The public is starting to open their minds to changes in the laws and are starting to see the health benefits of cannabis. I feel that it is great that New Jersey is allowing eligible minors access to the drug. Most don’t see that the medical aspect of marijuana are very significant and that it has the ability to ease the pain of many suffering children. I applaud Governor Christie’s daring move and hope that other states will use this event as a learning tool to see that relaxing the marijuana laws could be a good thing. I hope that all goes well in New Jersey with their new law and hope other states will soon follow in their footstep and allow sick children to receive the treatment they deserve.  

   

1 comment:

  1. Merr,
    I agree with this article and your opinion toward it . I also believe that despite the negativity Christie is receiving for his decision, I believe this was a respectable decision. Parents should have control over whether or not children should have access to marajuana for medical reasons .
    Ali

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