New Jersey medical cannabis patient count surges 150% since January 2018

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New Jersey’s medical marijuana program has seen a 150% increase in the number of patients participating since Gov. Phil Murphy took office early last year, a development that has no doubt bolstered sales at the state’s MMJ businesses.

The program has added 25,500 patients since January 2018 and now has more than 42,500 patients participating, the Democratic governor announced.

New Jersey passed its MMJ law in 2010, but the program grew slowly under anti-marijuana governor Chris Christie, Murphy’s predecessor.

News of the jump in the patient count comes just after Murphy and Democratic legislative leaders announced an agreement on legislation to legalize recreational marijuana. Ten states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis

Last March, Murphy added five conditions to the list of illnesses covered under the state’s MMJ program, including anxiety, migraines, Tourette syndrome and two types of chronic pain.

This year, the state also added opioid-use disorder as an approved illness under the program.

– Associated Press and Marijuana Business Daily