TRENTON — After spending five months criticizing the proposed medical marijuana rules as too restrictive, Democratic lawmakers today demanded to know why Gov. Chris Christie proposed, then retracted, the one idea of his they really liked: delivery service for homebound patients.



Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh explained that the administration withdrew the home delivery option when the governor reached a "compromise'' with Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of the law's sponsors, to allow six centers to grow and sell the drug.



"That was not a compromise I agreed to,'' Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) said. "Neither did Senator Scutari,'' the senate sponsors of the medical marijuana. "There are two houses here.''



Christie initially proposed in October that only two farmers would grow marijuana and four would sell it, fearing the law's required six dispensaries — also known as "alternative treatment centers'' — were too many and encourage abuse of the program.



Chairwoman Loretta Weinberg, (D-Bergen) and Whelan noted the state was not treating medical marijuana like a medicine, and would make it hard for patients to get it.



"I am a scientist,'' said Alaigh, a physician. "Unless I see studies that verify it is a medicine, I can't call it one.''

Alaigh said she "was satisfied ... We will have access throughout the state as a result of these six'' centers. Homebound patients also have the option of identifying a "caregiver," who would consent to a background check, and pick up the marijuana on the patient's behalf.



"If we can come back and show patients are having difficulty, would you look at it again?'' Weinberg asked.



"If we are not meeting the needs, absolutely,'' Alaigh said, noting the rules allow the state to make changes to the program after it has operated for two years.



The program is supposed to start making marijuana available in July, although a fight led by Democrats to repeal the Republican governor's rules may delay the program.



So far, 79 doctors practicing in 19 of New Jersey's counties have registered allowing their patients to participate in the program, Alaigh said.



The department also accepted bids from 21 nonprofit companies that want to run at least one alternative treatment center, Alaigh said. The department will announce the winners March 21, according to the health department website.



Two centers each will be permitted to operate in the north, central and southern part of New Jersey, according to the law.



The health department is scheduled to take public testimony Monday on the proposed rules that would govern the medical marijuana program. The two-hour hearing begins at 10 am inside the Delaware Rover Room at the Trenton War Memorial.

The proposed rules may be found at www.state.nj.us/health/documents/medical_marijuana_proposal.pdf.

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