Weed in the Garden State
Put that in your pipe and smoke it - legally!
After disappointingly rejecting same sex marriage last week, yesterday, the New Jersey state legislature actually realized we’re not living in the 1950s anymore. They took some progressive action and voted in favor of legalizing marijuana in the Armpit of America.
Now before you all go and smoke up, there are quite a few restrictions. The bill that got approved, and which outgoing Jon Corzine promised to sign, only allows the stuff to be used for serious medical conditions. According to this article, the only people who will be allowed to purchase marijuana are those with diseases causing them “chronic pain, nausea, seizures, muscle spasms or wasting syndrome.” That’s funny, I though you only get chronic pain and wasting syndrome AFTER smoking pot.
New Jersey is hardly a leader in this realm, since it is the 14th state to legalize marijuana. But, at least it is a step in the right direction. Though I am not a pothead by any means, the positive effects of marijuana on sick people is pretty much proven. So why should they have to sneak around to get something that can make them feel better? And why should they be charged as criminals for using something that can make the pain go away?
Anyway, the bill that got approved is the strictest of all 14 states that allow medicinal marijuana. While other states allow people with “high stress or anxiety” to qualify, none of those bullshit diseases will be enough to let you legally buy some weed. I guess that’s for the best, though. If everyone suffering from stress or anxiety in this shithole of a state could get marijuana, I don’t think all the Wawas and QuickCheks in New Jersey could keep up with the demand for Cheetos and Zebra Cakes.
All joking aside, the legislature of New Jersey finally did something right. A lot of people suffering from debilitating diseases can now get the relief they deserve, without being labeled as criminals for doing so.
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ArmpitNJ.com 
January 15, 2010 at 1:52 am
Hello, Jersey person…
First of all, I completely agree. There’s nothing wrong with letting people who are suffering, to get medicinal marijuana. Anyone who would disagree with that has some serious issues, in my opinion. I’m glad that more states are moving toward the realization that this is something that can’t be controlled, so the best thing to do is to adapt.
Secondly, they’re not “legalizing” weed. They are “decriminalizing” it. It’s still illegal to possess, as per Federal laws. What they are doing, in essence, is reducing the criminal charges that a person would be subject to for possession in New Jersey. Legalization would be removing cannabis from the list of controlled substances, and no longer arresting anyone for possession.
Third, there’s nothing wrong with joking around, but smoking pot doesn’t cause chronic pain or wasting syndrome. Not even remotely. Maybe if someone smokes a lot, and they cough a lot, that might be painful… but otherwise, no.
January 15, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Trey,
Thanks for your detailed reply and for clearing up the language.
As for chronic pain and wasting syndrome, I was making a joke. Since “chronic” is slang for marijuana and “wasting” is like being wasted, I was saying that you get chronic pain and wasting syndrome from smoking pot.