New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration has added opioid addiction to the list of qualifying conditions that are treatable with medical marijuana, a move that could provide a boost to MMJ sales.
In 2015, New Jersey health care providers wrote 55 opioid prescriptions per 100 persons, or 4.9 million prescriptions, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Murphy, a Democrat, has expanded the state’s MMJ program since he took office a year ago, and the number of patients has more than doubled to 39,000.
Last March, he added five new qualifying conditions, including anxiety, migraines, Tourette syndrome and two types of chronic pain.
An expected influx of new patients comes as the state is preparing for the opening of six new dispensaries, which doubles the existing number.
– Associated Press and Marijuana Business Daily
