In an effort to help more New Jersey patients access the pain relief they need, Assemblywomen Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey sponsor a bill that would allow health care practitioners to remotely authorize medical marijuana use via telemedicine/telehealth. The legislation was signed into law Thursday.
The law (formerly bill A-1635/S-619) permits health care practitioners to initially authorize any qualifying patient for the medical use of cannabis via telemedicine or telehealth, as long as the use of telehealth/telemedicine is consistent with the standard of care required for in-person assessment and treatment.
After the initial authorization, practitioners may decide whether to continue authorizing the medical cannabis via telehealth/telemedicine or to require an in-person consultation.
Upon the bill becoming law, Assemblywomen Lampitt (D-Camden, Burlington) and Downey (D-Monmouth) released the following joint statement:
“Many medicinal marijuana patients suffer from conditions that limit mobility, making frequent visits to the doctor’s office a significant barrier to the medicine they need. The pain relief, muscle relaxation, nausea prevention and anxiety reduction of medical marijuana are too important to the people suffering from severe medical conditions to be hindered by in-person doctor visitation requirements. This law will utilize today’s technology to help provide easier access to this beneficial medication on behalf of the people who need it the most.”
The act takes effect immediately.