NJ Legislature OKs Medical Marijuana

The state legislature today approved a bill that would make New Jersey the 14th state to allow chronically ill patients access to marijuana for medical reasons. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine supports the legislation and could sign it before leaving office next week, making it law. The bill allows patients with ailments such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis to buy up to 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana a month at state-monitored dispensaries.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, a Democrat, was a co-sponsor of the bill and pushed for it for years. He said medical marijuana can alleviate suffering and there's no evidence it increases overall drug use. "I don't think we should make criminals out of our very sick and , a former federal prosecutor, said he supported the concept of the bill but remained concerned that a loophole could lead to abuses. (More medical marijuana stories.)