A NJ medical marijuana patient demonstrates in Trenton – photo by Libertae Photgrapahy/Diane Fornbacher
In official testimony just one-week apart, powerful state regulators in New Jersey and Maryland refused to call marijuana a “medicine” and are widely deferring to the federal government.
Dr. Poonam Alaigh, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) is supposed to be implementing the state’s year-old medical cannabis law, but her department has crafted unworkable regulations.
Testifying about the broken rules before a Senate committee on March 3, 2011 Alaigh said, “I am a scientist. So unless I see studies to verify that marijuana can be used a medicine, and I don’t see those studies right now, I cannot call it a ‘medicine.’”
Several times during her testimony Alaigh carefully pointed out that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved marijuana.
Alaigh and NJDHSS have apparently confined their research on the issue to the handful of cannabis studies that were conducted through the federal governments of the United States and Canada. This ignores mountains peer-reviewed scientific and medical research data published in the world’s most respected journals.
During a grilling by NJ Senator James Whalen (D-2) about a possible home delivery service for patients Alaigh made an interesting remark, “ In terms of the federal law, the DEA, this is still an illegal substance.”
Alaigh is not the only state-level bureaucrat using federal policy to confound safe access to cannabis.
Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) testified last week against medical marijuana legislation in his state saying: “This is not just because marijuana is a controlled substance. It is also because marijuana, unlike approved pharmaceuticals, has not been characterized, studied, and determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be safe and effective.”
It is important to take note that the FDA’s research labs are based in Maryland.
So if it is called “medical marijuana” or “medical use of marijuana” in the legislation then why not just call marijuana “medicine”?
Because this is where the big money starts talking.
Medicine is one of the biggest businesses in the world. New Jersey and Maryland serve as the corporate bedroom communities and lobbying base for the pharmaceutical industry.
There was also a strange twist at the close of the NJ Health Commissioner’s testimony. Dr. Alaigh, a practicing physician, testified that she currently has a patient who benefits from medical marijuana use.
“I have to tell you I have patient right now who tells me how impactful his medicinal marijuana is…and his life changes because of what he takes. So, is it effective in a certain patient population? Yes, I have patient where it is effective.”
NJ State Senator Jim Whelan responded quickly, “Well it sounds like a medicine to me.”
More info:
NJ – www.cmmnj.org
MD- http://www.mpp.org/states/maryland
Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey. He enjoys old-school hip-hop, vintage airplanes and changing the world. Contact chris { at } freedomisgreen.com