The state Senate voted today to legalize marijuana for medical use, despite warnings the drug would fall into the hands of recreational users instead of the chronically ill patients who suffer from debilitating symptoms.

The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act targets patients suffering from a debilitating disease defined as cancer, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, and other chronic illnesses that cause "wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, seizures and severe and persistent muscle spasms," according to the bill.

"We are not talking about drug addicts and thrill-seekers -- we are talking about desperately sick people in need of relief," Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), one of the bill's sponsors, said before the vote.

In order to participate, patients would need a written recommendation from their doctor and approval from the state Department of Health and Senior Services, which would issue identification cards. Enrolled patients would be protected from criminal prosecution to possess up to six plants or one ounce of marijuana.

The state would also license "compassion centers" that would grow and distribute the plants, according to the bill.

"This is a vote of conscience," Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said. "My conscience tells me we should ease people's pain and suffering, and give them hope. . .God knows they have suffered enough."



But Sen. Fred Madden (D-Gloucester) argued the bill's language is too broad, and could replicate the kinds of abuses seen in San Diego and Los Angeles, "where some doctors are giving marijuana essentially for every ailment they could think of" -- from premenstrual syndrome, attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia, Madden said.

Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) said the legislation would "make sense" if it had been written to benefit the most "severely debilitated patients" like the terminally ill. As is, however, "it's the wrong thing for people in New Jersey and the wrong thing for our children," he said.

The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 22-16 with two abstentions.

"God bless them," Stephen Cuspilich, a 46-year-old Burlington County man diagnosed with Crohn's disease, said immediately after the vote. Should the measure become law, he said access to legal marijuana would enable him to stop taking five of the sick medications he requires to control cramping and nausea caused by the chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

As someone who has used the illegal drug to quell nausea and other symptoms associated with the chronic lung and digestive disease cystic fibrosis, Gareth Muchmore, a 22-year-old man from Vernon, said he prefers government to be involved with the testing and regulation of medical marijuana.

"If the government grew it, the potency could be controlled and the amount could be controlled," said Muchmore, who donned a suit and made his first trip to the state capital to show his support for the bill. "It should be in the hands of trusted officials, not just patients."

New Jersey would be the 14th state to create a sanctioned medical marijuana program if the legislation passes both houses and is signed into law by the governor.

But the legislation still has a long way to go.

There's been no movement on the Assembly version of the bill, sponsored by Assemblymen Reed Gusciora, (D-Mercer), Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris) and Assemblyman Joan Voss (D-Hudson). And opponents said they are gearing up to defeat the measure if it gains any momentum in the Assembly.

"There is no doubt in my mind the Assembly will be very cautious dealing with this," John Tomicki said, the executive director of the League of American Families. "Parents are alarmed they've given the green light for marijuana use."

David Evans an attorney and executive director of the Drug Free School Coalition, a national group, said his organization will mobilize to challenge the bill in the lower house. "This is dressed up as compassion but this bill is way, way too loose," Evans said. "It will be too easy to get marijuana."

Related coverage: Scott Ward, who has multiple sclerosis, tells reporter Brian Donohue medical marijuana is the only thing that relieves his pain.