NJ court orders state to review marijuana’s Schedule I status, given “abundant” medical benefits
Published: Nov 1, 2017, 7:54 am • Updated: Nov 1, 2017, 8:17 am
By The Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. — An appeals court has ruled that New Jersey must reconsider marijuana’s legal classification because of its health benefits.
NJ.com reports an appellate court ruled on Tuesday the Division of Consumer Affairs should review marijuana’s Schedule I classification. The category notes substances that don’t have an “accepted medical use” and includes drugs like heroin.
According to the court, the state must reevaluate marijuana’s classification because the drug is used to treat health ailments. The court wrote in a decision the medical benefits of cannabis that are “abundant and glaringly apparent now” weren’t known in 1971 when New Jersey adopted the federal classification.
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Medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 2010.
The Attorney General’s Office plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
Information from: NJ Advance Media
Topics: courts, New Jersey, rescheduling, Schedule I
