New Jersey Medical Marijuana Patients Can Finally Purchase Medicine In A Safe Environment
The Greenleaf Compassion Center, New Jersey’s first medical marijuana dispensary, is officially open for business.
“We are extremely excited to serve the patients of New Jersey and humbled the state gave us a permit to let us do this,” said Joe Stevens, board member and Greenleaf co-founder, according to the Star Ledger. I have to assume that Joe Stevens isn’t the only one that is excited that safe access has finally come to New Jersey. Medical marijuana patients and advocates have been waiting since 2010 for their medical marijuana program to get off the ground. Although the bill was signed into law in 2010, patients can grow for themselves, and dispensaries have been very slow in coming.
That all changed this week with the opening of the Greenleaf Compassion Center. Although, before people think the problem is solved, realize that safe access is very limited still. “Initially, Greenleaf plans to sell no more than a half-ounce so the supply it has grown at an undisclosed indoor facility can stretch to every registered patient,” according to the Star Ledger.
While it’s a great day for medical marijuana patients in New Jersey, I can’t help but dream of the day when patients have the ability to grow their own medicine, or even better, marijuana becomes legal in New Jersey. New Jersey presents an interesting situation, in that it’s the largest population center on the East Coast that allows dispensaries right now. For so long medical marijuana has been seen as a ‘West Coast’ thing, and as a result, the political powers on the East Coast have been able to fight it from afar. Now that medical marijuana is in their backyard, they will see that it’s far from the ‘boogie man’ they have tried so hard to make it out to be. Hopefully it changes some attitudes! Below is a video about the announcement of the opening of the facility.
