Guidelines for Patients and Caregivers

As a participant in the Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP), we would like to provide you with guidelines to help ensure your compliance with the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medicinal Marijuana Act (CUMMA). Your adherence to these guidelines will minimize the risk of problems in the event you encounter law enforcement while in possession of medicinal marijuana or paraphernalia. The Attorney General has published guidelines for law enforcement agencies in New Jersey regarding the enforcement of CUMMA. Law enforcement officers will be trained to respect CUMMA, but they will also be trained to make certain that CUMMA is not used to conceal the unauthorized use, possession or distribution of marijuana or other illegal controlled substances. 

• Patients and caregivers should always carry proper identification, including MMP cards, at all times.
• Medicinal marijuana always should be maintained in its original labeled packaging.
• Patients should keep medicinal marijuana at their residence and only transport it when absolutely necessary. Understand that the smell of burning or raw marijuana outside a home will attract law enforcement attention.
• If transporting or possessing medicinal marijuana outside their residence patients and caregivers should keep the amount in their possession to a minimum and, as stated above, always maintain it in its original packaging.
• Patients and caregivers are not permitted to share, or in any other way re-distribute medicinal marijuana to any other person. Medicinal marijuana is intended solely for the consumption of the patient.
• Patients may possess paraphernalia, but only for the purpose of consuming medicinal marijuana.
• Patients and caregivers are not permitted to grow or cultivate marijuana, or be in possession of a marijuana plant.
• Patients and caregivers may not possess marijuana obtained from a source other than a New Jersey licensed ATC.
• Patients may not operate a motorized vehicle (of any sort), aircraft, railroad train, stationary heavy equipment or a vessel while under the influence of medicinal marijuana.
• Patients are encouraged to use medicinal marijuana only in their residence.
• Patients may not smoke medicinal marijuana in a school bus, on public transportation, or in a private vehicle while in motion. Additionally, patients may not smoke medicinal marijuana on any school grounds or at any correctional facility, public park, beach, recreation center, or other place where smoking is prohibited.
• Patients and caregivers may not transport medicinal marijuana across state lines.
• A patient or primary caregiver in possession of unwanted marijuana shall dispose of the marijuana by returning it to an ATC. The person returning the marijuana for disposal should present a valid registry identification card, a New Jersey driver’s license or other State-issued photo identification to the ATC or the police.
• All patients and caregivers should be cooperative and truthful at all times with law enforcement if they encounter them while in possession of medicinal marijuana or paraphernalia.You should review these guidelines prior to using or transporting medicinal marijuana. Please contact the MMP Customer Service Unit at (609) 292-0424 if you have any questions.

Source:

“Guidelines for Patients and Caregivers”, Division of Medicinal Marijuana, Department of Health, State of NJ, Retrieved 16 Sept 2019.<https://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/patients/guidelines/>.