Started during the pandemic, tele-health visits for medical marijuana patients will continue in N.J.

EDITOR’S NOTE: NJ cannabis insider hosts a personal business networking event in Asbury Park on July 29th with some of the state’s top leaders. Tickets are limited.

New Jersey’s 112,000+ medical marijuana patients can continue to see their doctors virtually or by phone to maintain their participation in the state’s program, thanks to a new law signed by the government. Phil Murphy on Thursday.

Murphy vetoed the law in April, calling on lawmakers to expand it. Originally, it would have allowed the most vulnerable patients to apply for medical marijuana approval using telemedicine appointments.

Under the new law, doctors can have a patient come for a personal consultation if necessary, but do not have to keep these appointments if they can perform the same quality of treatment virtually. It applies to all patients.

Many people used telemedicine during the Coronavirus Outbreak to avoid exposure to doctors and other patients. An order signed in August temporarily waived the request for personal visits for medical marijuana.

“I do not agree to revive old barriers to entry, especially if the pandemic continues.” the governor wrote in his conditional veto in April.

But telemedicine legislation has been in the works since early 2020. Some seriously ill patients have long complained about the regular in-person doctor appointments they need to keep their medical marijuana cards active.

The bill’s sponsors, MPs Pamela Lampitt, D-Camden, and Joann Downey, D-Monmouth, issued a joint statement when the bill became law.

“Many medical marijuana patients experience conditions that limit mobility, making frequent doctor visits a significant barrier to getting the medicine they need,” they said.

“The pain relief, muscle relaxation, nausea prevention and anxiety reduction that medical marijuana provides are too important for people with serious illnesses to be hampered by personal visits to the doctor. This law will use today’s technology to provide easier access to this useful drug for the people who need it most. “

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Susan K. Livio can be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.