Gov. Christie Says He's Open To Considering Changes To Medical Marijuana Program
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Gov. Chris Christie said he's willing to consider new measures to make sure the right form of medical marijuana is made available to children who could benefit from it.
He spoke about the issue Wednesday at a town hall meeting with the mother of a child who died in December of Dravet Syndrome, a rare and often fatal symptom of epilepsy that has been treated with marijuana.
Paula Joanna said she can clearly remember the governor saying in early December that he would not expand the medical marijuana program, WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported.
"The very hour you did that, I took my baby off a ventilator," she said. "This what happens when you don't get the proper medical marijuana program installed in this state," Joanna said.
Christie apologized in front of the room, saying "I'm horribly sorry."
The governor said the state changed the program last summer to allow edible marijuana for young patients once they realized the void.
Now, hearing dispensaries aren't carrying a lot of edibles because they don't bring in much money, the governor said "Now I have to go back and see do we have to in fact, as condition of licenses, force them."
The governor added that he's open to changes to fix problems in the program, but not open to decriminalizing marijuana.
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