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New Jersey’s constrained medical marijuana program could soon grow after the state Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that, among other things, would add many more marijuana providers to the program.

The Assembly’s passage of the plan comes a week before the state Senate is expected to vote on the bill, and it marks a major step in overhauling the Garden State’s medical marijuana industry. The vote was 65-5 in favor of passage, with six legislators abstaining.

“We have the most progressive, innovative marijuana bill in the country," said said Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, D-Somerset, a main sponsor. “This is a model legislation nationally and internationally.”

The bill would more than double the size of the state’s current medical marijuana program. New Jersey only has six medical marijuana providers operating in the state.

This plan would allow the state to start accepting applications for many new providers. Six other medical marijuana providers have been selected by the state Health Department but have not yet been licensed.

The proposal also would create a body to oversee the program called the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, removing administration of medical marijuana from the state Department of Health.

Ever since the state first passed its medical marijuana law in 2009, providers have all been required to be vertically integrated, meaning they all grow, process and sell marijuana. But the bill would allow the state to issue separate permits, which means one company could be just a grower while another could just be a retailer.

The patient side of the industry would also change under this bill. Physician assistants and advanced practice nurses would be able to recommend marijuana to patients, rather than just doctors.

Here are some of the other things the bill would do:

Patients would be allowed two caregivers instead of just one, while a caregiver would also be allowed to serve two patients. Caregivers are people registered with the state to obtain medical marijuana when a patient is physically unable to do so.

The state sales tax would still be imposed on medical marijuana sales but would stop on Jan. 1, 2025.

The bill sets a goal of 30 percent of new licenses being issued to women, minorities and veterans. The goal would be 15 percent of licenses issued to minority owners and 15 percent issued to women, disabled people and veterans.

Medical marijuana dispensaries would be allowed to deliver to patients and could set up onsite consumption lounges, where patients would be able to consume cannabis.

The state Legislature’s effort to pass medical marijuana reform comes as Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration is also attempting to expand the program.

Jeff Brown, the assistant health commissioner who oversees medical marijuana, said this week that more providers are needed and hinted that the Health Department would start accepting applications for more providers soon.

The state Health Department is expected to announce on June 3 that it would soon start accepting such applications, according to a document provided by the state’s Office of Administrative Law. The Health Department is required to provide public notice before it can start collecting applications.

It’s unclear how the Health Department’s efforts to grow the medical marijuana program would be impacted by the passage of a medical expansion plan by the Legislature.

The state Senate is expected to vote on the bill on May 30.

Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion.

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