TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie said he has yet to formulate a response to the state’s quandary on medical marijuana.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a memo a few weeks ago that was intended to clarify the federal government’s stance in relation to states that have passed medical marijuana programs. Christie is particularly interested in the risk of potential prosecution of state workers who will administer the program, although the response did not include a specific response to that question.
Asked if the state is ready to give guidance to distributors, advocates, and patients who expected the program to be up and running in July, Christie said, “Not yet.”
“I had an opportunity to review the memo while I was away,” he said, but had not yet reached a resolution that he was willing to publicize. The state will respond in the “very near future,” he said.
Assembly sponsor Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, (D-15), of Princeton, started a “Cannabis Countdown” last week for patients and advocates who expected the program to begin in July. Today is Day 18.
