New Jersey is now considering advancing its position in the medical marijuana industry by adding five more conditions that may soon be treatable with the plant legally.
The state Gov. Phil Murphy announced the expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program yesterday. This took place on the same day that a panel established by the Democratic governor unveiled its recommendations.
The changes that Murphy and his administration are making include the addition of five qualifying conditions that are being treated with the substance in half the country. These include anxiety, migraines, Tourette’s syndrome, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders and chronic visceral pain.
The governor will also lower the patient fee for those seeking an opinion on whether or not they need medical marijuana. The fee will be lowered from $200 to $100, with veterans and seniors seeing this figure drop even further to $20.
Gov. Murphy is hoping that the move will encourage more to seek medical help with a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals, which may have negative side-effects in either the short term or the long term. However, medical marijuana isn’t for everyone as some may not react as well to the plant, but to others, the medication could be more effective than pharmaceuticals.
The New Jersey governor has also been pushing for the acceptance of legalized recreational marijuana in his state as he believes doing so could curb crime.
