With Jersey's new law approving the sale and use of medical marijuana going into effect on July 1st, many entrepreneurs in the state are trying to get in the business on the ground floor. Dozens of people have been scraping together business plans to apply to run the first "alternative treatment centers" in the state, which will distribute the drug to the prescribed. Apparently, many of the applicants are current drug dealers who want to get legit.
Lawyer Anne M. Davis works with people trying to open the centers, and warns that it's not a get-rich-quick scheme as many think. She said, "They think, 'Hey, I'm going to open this great business and I'm going to make a fortune.' But that's not what it's going to be. It's going to be very strictly regulated in New Jersey." Currently, Governor Chris Christie is trying to delay the law's effect date so they can actually write those regulations, but rest assured they will be strict! So far, the state will not allow patients to grow their own marijuana, and will only be allowed to buy 2 ounces a month. The drug can also only be prescribed by a doctor who has had an ongoing relationship with the patient, and only for certain conditions.
But rather than using it as an excuse to reap the benefits of their own crops, most treatment center applicants just think legalization is a smart idea. Applicant Joseph Stevens said his father suffered from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and a doctor had suggested marijuana to ease the pain. His dad refused because it was illegal, and Stevens wants to open a center to help those who may be in a similar situation. Also, the legalization has created the unexpected bonus of awesome, pot-related puns. Stevens' got the ball rolling with his potential slogan: "A HIGHER standard of care." So when is New York going to get in on the business?
