N.J. vote scheduled to allow telehealth for medical cannabis

Ask your state lawmakers to support expanding patient access to medical cannabis!

Good news! On Thursday, the New Jersey Assembly and Senate are scheduled to vote on twin bills to allow healthcare practitioners to authorize medical cannabis using telemedicine. The bills — Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt’s A. 1635 and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon’s S. 619 — are particularly important in these times of COVID, when many are concerned about any unnecessary in-person interactions.

Both bills are scheduled for a vote this Thursday, September 24 at 10:30 a.m. Please email your state legislators today to ask them to support A.1635 and S.619. Earlier this year, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration took crucial steps to preserve safe access to medical cannabis during COVID by issuing a waiver that allowed home delivery of medical cannabis. That waiver implemented one of the key provisions contained in Jake Honig’s Law that was signed into law in 2019 and expanded on measures Gov. Murphy’s administration took at the onset of the pandemic to ensure patient access.

Lastly, as you may know, legalization is on the ballot in New Jersey this November — as Public Question 1. The deadline to register to vote is October 13. New Jersey is mailing all registered voters their ballots. Completed ballots can be deposited in secure drop boxes, mailed in, dropped off at one's county Board of Elections office, or dropped off at one’s polling place on Election Day. For those who prefer to vote in person, polling places will be open on Tuesday, November 3 between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Please spread the word so that others can make their voices heard for sensible and humane cannabis policies!