Guidelines for Patients and Caregivers

As a new participants 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 is promulgating guidelines to the relevant 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 should be maintained in its original packaging.
• Patients and caregivers are not allowed 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 may not 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 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 take medicinal marijuana across state lines.
• Patients or a primary caregiver in possession of unwanted marijuana shall dispose of the marijuana by returning it to an alternative treatment center. 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; to the extent 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 if you have any questions.

Patients

Do I Qualify?

To become a registered patient with the Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP), you must:

• Maintain a bona fide relationship with a physician who is registered with the program.
  A bona fide relationship is defined as a relationship in which the physician has ongoing responsibility for the assessment, care, and treatment of a patient’s debilitating medical condition, where:
• The physician-patient relationship has existed for at least one year; or
• The physician has seen and/or assessed the patient for the debilitating medical condition on at least four visits; or
• The physician assumes responsibility for providing management and care of the patient’s debilitating medical condition after conducting a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, including a personal review of the patient’s medical record maintained by other treating physicians reflecting the patient’s reaction and response to conventional medical therapies.
• Be a New Jersey resident.
• Be diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition by a New Jersey physician registered with the MMP.

Approved debilitating medical conditions include:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Terminal cancer
• Muscular dystrophy
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
• Terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life.

The following conditions apply, if the patient is resistant to, or intolerant to, conventional therapy:

• Seizure disorder, including epilepsy
• Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity
• Glaucoma
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The following conditions apply, if severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia or wasting syndrome results from the condition or its treatment:

• Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus
• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Cancer

For Physicians

Requirements and Eligibility

A Physician’s Guide to Medicinal Marijuana In New Jersey

Physicians who wish to aid patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions by providing medicinal marijuana to alleviate pain which is resistant to conventional methods and medicine; must register with the MMP to certify a patient.

Only physicians that are registered with the Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP) can certify patients to receive medicinal marijuana. A physician must initiate a patient registration for the program.

Per regulation, there must be a bona fide physician-patient relationship to start the patient application process. Registration can be completed online at http://njmmp.nj.gov/.

Physicians who wish to participate in the program must:

• Hold an active New Jersey Medical license in good standing issued by the NJ Board of Medical Examiners.
• Possess an active controlled dangerous substances registration issued by the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs that is not subject to limitation.
• Practice within the State of New Jersey

Physicians must also hold a bona fide relationship with a patient in order to register them with the program.

A bona fide physician-patient relationship means a relationship in which the physician has ongoing responsibility for the assessment, care and treatment of a patient’s debilitating medical condition whereby:

• The physician-patient relationship has existed for at least one year; or
• The physician has seen and/or assessed the patient for the debilitating medical condition on at least four visits; or

The physician assumes responsibility for providing management and care of the patient’s debilitating medical condition after conducting a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, including a personal review of the patient’s medical record maintained by other treating physicians reflecting the patient’s reaction and response to conventional medical therapies.

Physician Registration

• Go to https://njmmp.nj.gov/.
• Select Physician Registration.
• Provide your personal and office contact information. (as noted by the red asterisk)
• Note* only your name, office location, and phone number will be publicly displayed on the participating physicians list.
• Provide your CDS and medical license information.
• Indicate that you have completed medical education in Addiction Medicine and Pain Management within the past 2 years. Please type the course title or presentation that you have attended.
• Enter desired user access information. This information will serve as your login to the registry system.
• Indicate that you adhere to the Physician Agreement and type your full name and title.
• Select Submit.

The MMP will review your application. All applications will be responded to via e-mail with further instructions for finalizing your application. Denied applicants will be provided instructions on amending your application.

Questions regarding this process will be addressed by contacting the MMP Customer Service Unit at 609-292-0424 or medical.marijuana@doh.nj.gov.

Patient Registration

Check-Off List for Qualifying Patients/Caregivers

• Go to https://njmmp.nj.gov/ and open Patient Registration page
• Complete required information (as noted by the red asterisk)
• Enter patient reference number supplied by physician and submit
• Complete required patient information (as noted by the red asterisk)
• Enter the Alternative Treatment Center of choice
• Complete patient certification
• Complete required caregiver information (if applicable)
• Click “Save and Continue” and review confirmation page
• Continue to upload documents for both patient and caregiver (if applicable)
• Upload patient and caregiver photograph - Required
• Photograph must be a recent digital photo taken against a white background; the patient/caregiver shall not wear a hat, glasses or any other item that may alter or disguise the overall features of the face; the patient/caregiver face must take up 70 percent of the picture; and a digital photograph must be in JPEG format, which is the format currently used by most digital cameras.
• Document 1 - Government issue photo identification - Required
• one of the following:
• Current NJ digital license
• Current NJ digital non-driver ID card
• NJ County ID Card
• Document 2 - Proof of current New Jersey residency - Required (P.O. Boxes NOT Accepted)
• one of the following:
• Utility bill issued in the past 90 days that shows your name at your current address
• Utility Bills accepted: Gas-Electric-Water-Sewer-Cell Phone-Cable (Television/Internet/Phone)
• Any correspondence from IRS or NJ State tax office within the last year.
• Document 3 – Proof of government assistance - Optional
• one of the following:
• NJ Medicaid
• Food Stamp Benefits
• NJ Temporary Disability Insurance benefits
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits
• Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits
• Government assistance pictures for comparison

• Save and continue
• If applicable, download the caregiver criminal background check form. The Caregiver is required to complete form and follow the attached instructions.

The MMP will review your application and supporting documents. All applications will be responded to via e-mail with further instructions for finalizing your application. Approved applicants will be instructed on the MMP e-payment process.

• Once notified by the MMP of the fee amount, the patient will be prompted to return to the registry homepage and click on payment (you will need your patient reference number) click submit and complete the required information (as noted by the red asterisk). If submitted correctly, you will receive a transaction confirmation number on the last page.

Denied applicants will be provided instructions on amending your application.

Questions regarding this process will be addressed by contacting the MMP Customer Service Unit at 609-292-0424 or medical.marijuana@doh.nj.gov