The deadline for Gov. Chris Christie to decide on a bill that would give kids greater access to the state's medical marijuana program has been rescheduled for Aug. 19.
The deadline for Gov. Chris Christie to decide on a bill that would give kids greater access to the state's medical marijuana program has been pushed back to Aug. 19.
Previously, Christie had until today to either sign, veto or take no action on the bill.
Jennifer Sciortino, deputy communications director for the New Jersey Assembly Majority Office, said Christie's deadline was altered after a Senate session initially scheduled for today was cancelled.
Because the bill originated in the Senate, Christie has until the next time it meets -- in this case Aug. 19 -- to take action on the bill, Sciortino said.
State law currently mandates that children must obtain separate
recommendations from a treating physician, a psychiatrist and a
pediatrician to be granted access to the medical marijuana program.
Adults are only required to receive a recommendation from a treating
physician.
The bill, passed in June by the Assembly and Senate, would not only reduce the recommendations for minors to one but also pave the way for state dispensaries to grow a variety of marijuana strains, some of which might be edible and more easily used by children.
Christie has not yet signaled whether he intends to sign the bill but has thus far shown reluctance to do so.On multiple occasions, Christie has mentioned his fear of going down a "slippery slope" in which the drug could get into the hands of unqualified people if the program were to be broadened.
Last month during his monthly "Ask the Governor" radio program on 101.5 FM, Christie said he was looking out for the best interests of all children in New Jersey.
"It's on my desk," Christie said on the July 31 program. "I'm examining it. I'm hoping to come up with a solution that will be helpful to all families in New Jersey so that we don't become Colorado or California."
Ken Wolski, chief executive officer for the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, said that while he's still hopeful Christie will sign the bill before the Aug. 19 deadline, he's disappointed that it's taken this long to do so.
"We hope that Gov. Christie would've decided to sign the bill already," Wolski said. "Every day that he delays is another day that these children, for example, risk having seizures."
Hope Township mother and bill advocate Jennie Stormes, whose 14-year-old son, Jackson, suffers from a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet, welcomed the governor's extended deadline. The extra 11 days gives Christie even more of a chance to educate himself on the issue.
"It's kind of good because it doesn't allow Gov. Christie the ability to be ignorant," she said.
Stormes and other advocates of the bill experienced a minor setback Wednesday night when a much anticipated prime-time segment featuring the Wilson family of Scotch Plains was scheduled to run on CNN's "Piers Morgan Live" but ultimately did not.
The Wilsons, whose 2-year-old daughter also has Dravet, have worked alongside Stormes in their efforts to drum up support for the bill.
"It doesn't change anything at all," Stormes said of the Wilsons' interview not airing.
While the Wilsons' segment was cut, the show did feature an interview with the network's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who announced his support for the use of medical marijuana after years of arguing against it.
Gupta will be expanding on his views and findings in "Weed," a documentary scheduled to air on the network Sunday night.
Stormes said that Gupta's endorsement of medical marijuana is particularly important and hopes it will "keep the national debate going."
Back in New Jersey, advocates for medical marijuana also received a boost Wednesday as the state Health Department announced a new dispensary would be opening in Woodbridge, a first for the central portion of the state.
The Woodbridge dispensary would be the third of its kind in the state, joining an existing location in Montclair and another in Egg Harbor Township that is expected to open in September.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.