The Coalition for Medical
Marijuana – New Jersey
(CMM–NJ) was founded
in May of 2003 to support the legalization of marijuana for use by patients under a doctor's supervision.

>>YEAR END REPORT 2004>>

As Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, I am proud to share with you this Year End Report for 2004.

Executive Summary:

Through 2004, CMM-NJ has:

  • Secured funding for, and hired, a full time Administrative Assistant/Independent Contractor;
  • Established a professional website at www.cmmnj.org;
  • Built a Board of Directors and a Steering Committee;
  • Created an organizational logo, banner, publicity and educational material;
  • Planned and executed a major event, the “Sean McGrath Medical Marijuana Memorial Project”;
  • Received extremely favorable media attention (newspapers, radio stations and television) and editorial endorsements;
  • Networked with many individuals and organizations;
  • Maintained detailed and accurate financial records, and started a Legal Defense Fund;
  • Achieved bi-partisan support for the Assembly bill, “New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act”;
  • Identified a New Jersey Senate sponsor of a companion bill, S-2200;
  • Developed plans to continue our activities in 2005 in support of safe and legal access to medical marijuana for New Jersey patients.

Details:

Thanks largely to the first of two installments of a $40,000 grant from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) that was awarded August 1, 2004, CMM-NJ is able to document a number of achievements.

We hired a highly qualified, full time Administrative Assistant—Independent Contractor, Jim Incollingo, who is extremely dedicated to the mission of our organization.  It was a difficult selection process.  There were five candidates for this position.  Jim was selected only after a series of personal interviews, resume and portfolio reviews, and reference checks.  In the end, I believe we selected the best candidate for the position, and his performance has been exemplary thus far.

We established a professional website (www.cmmnj.org) at very low cost.  We invite you to explore in detail the many features of this website, including our Mission Statement, our links to other Resources, the many ways a visitor can Contribute to our mission, and our Events feature, including photographs.  Jim Incollingo is updating this website as part of his routine duties.

We registered CMM-NJ with the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization and obtained an Employer Identification Number.  We established a business checking account and we keep accurate and detailed financial records.  We are pursuing 501 ( c )(3) status. 

We have added two members to our Board of Directors, Ed Hannaman, a New Jersey lawyer, and Don McGrath, a local businessman.  We are inviting other qualified individuals to join our Board.

We established a Steering Committee to plan and carry out a major medical marijuana awareness event in late August 2004 (see our website for details of the “Sean McGrath Medical Marijuana Memorial Project”).  This committee selflessly devoted countless hours during weekly meetings to produce an exquisitely planned and executed event.  New Jersey Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) spoke and announced his sponsorship of the upcoming New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.  Other speakers included Jim Miller, Don McGrath, and myself from CMM-NJ, Roseanne Scotti from the Drug Policy Alliance, Ed Barocas from the American Civil Liberties Union, and Ryan Grim from MPP.  Media coverage of this event--newspaper, television and radio--was extremely favorable.  Within days of the event, the Editorial Boards of both The Press of Atlantic City and The Times of Trenton endorsed the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.

Jim Miller, Don McGrath and I have appeared in many forums, both in direct interviews and as part of current events talk shows.  Jim Incollingo called in to several radio talk shows.  Media interviews were conducted with:

  • The Times of Trenton
  • The Press of Atlantic City
  • Ocean County Observer
  • The Nation
  • Burlington County Times
  • News 12 New Jersey (TV)
  • NJ101.5 FM
  • WGHT AM
  • WRNJ-AM
  • WBUD AM

 Our Steering Committee, and especially Jim Incollingo, designed and produced:

  • CMM-NJ logo
  • Stationery and business cards
  • Logo banner and banner stand
  • Informational placards with easels
  • 15,000 pre-printed postcards designed to be sent from voters to legislators
  • Press kits and other informational offerings (press releases, flyers, etc.)
  • Logo tee shirts and lapel pins

We established a spreadsheet of all New Jersey legislators and we have instant electronic access to each of them.  We recently sent a mailing to each New Jersey state senator urging them to sponsor a senate version of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.  Our efforts were rewarded when Senator Scutari (D-Linden) agreed to sponsor S-2200, a nearly identical version of the Assembly bill.  Follow up thank you letters or educational material will also be sent to these legislators.

We continue to network with other groups and individuals to educate them about medical marijuana and to build support for our organization’s mission.  I never pass up an opportunity to promote CMM-NJ, whether it is with officials from various State departments and agencies, the AARP, healthcare organizations, etc.  Sometimes support comes from unlikely sources.  While discussing the issue with a Philadelphia policeman recently, he said that even he would illegally obtain marijuana for a loved one who would suffer without it.  "Family comes first,” he said.  “You have to do what you have to do."

MPP gave CMM-NJ a list of over 600 NJ physicians who signed statements in support of medical marijuana.  From this list we obtained approximately 250 street addresses, 289 fax numbers, and 120 e-mail addresses.  We mailed, faxed, or e-mailed each of these physicians once, asking if they would testify at legislative hearings, write their legislators, or financially support CMM-NJ.  As a result, we received both financial support and promises from physicians to testify at legislative hearings.  We also solicited support and legislative testimony from other experts and celebrities like Montel Williams, Judge Martin Haines, and Dr. John Morgan.

CMM-NJ’s President, Jim Miller, continues his outspoken and single-minded pursuit of medical marijuana in honor of his late wife, Cheryl.  Jim has been lobbying for medical marijuana for over a decade and he has his own web site at: http://cherylheart.org/cherylheart.html.  Jim has, independent of CMM-NJ, published Letters-to the Editor, conducted media interviews, lobbied legislators, and publicly conducted demonstrations for medical marijuana.  Recent demonstrations were held by him at both the NJ governor’s mansion and at a George Bush campaign rally.  At the latter event, Jim engaged in civil disobedience and he allowed himself to be arrested to bring attention to the cause.  While his civil disobedience clearly went beyond what we would expect of our supporters, CMM-NJ nevertheless started a Legal Defense Fund and reimbursed Jim the cost of his fine.  Jim’s courage and commitment to the cause brings to mind the great, selfless actions of the Civil Rights Movement.

Proposed or in-progress publicity/fundraising activities include:

  • Rally and press conference at the State House on the day the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act is introduced
  • Medical Marijuana Awareness Concert
  • Increasing tee-shirt and lapel pin donations via website and live events
  • Medical Marijuana Awards (a press release or event announcing winners)
  • Outreach to college campuses/Teach-In

CMM-NJ had hoped to have Assemblyman Gusciora’s bill introduced this fall.  We have bi-partisan support for this bill inasmuch as the very conservative Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Township) has signed on as a co-sponsor.  Additionally, the Assembly majority leader, Joseph J. Roberts (D-Brooklawn), assured us that the bill had his support, and with that, presumably enough votes to pass in the Assembly.  However, New Jersey State Government was in turmoil this fall, as Governor McGreevey shocked the State by suddenly announcing his intention to resign from office before the expiration of his first term.  After his announced resignation, McGreevey, who did not support medical marijuana, promised to sign into law a needle exchange bill.  New Jersey is one of only two states in the nation that does not permit either Needle Exchange Programs (NEP) or the over-the-counter sale of syringes in pharmacies.  NEP advocates have been trying for over a decade to pass this important public health measure in New Jersey without success.  Taking advantage of this situation, Assembly Leader Roberts introduced Mr. Gusciora’s NEP bill.  There were very contentious hearings in the Assembly Health Committee.  While the NEP bill passed in the Assembly, the bill was never released from the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.  As a result, Majority Leader Roberts refused to introduce the medical marijuana bill until the NEP situation could be resolved. 

Gov. McGreevey then issued an Executive Order establishing a pilot NEP in three New Jersey cities just before he left office.  Acting Governor Codey, who as Senate President is filling McGreevey’s unexpired term, has said he will support the NEP Executive Order; however, several other senators are seeking to overturn it. 

CMM-NJ is hopeful that the Senate and Assembly medical marijuana bills will be introduced soon.  We believe we continue to enjoy enough support in the NJ Assembly to pass our medical marijuana bill, though the Senate support is less certain.  What we are certain of is that the vast majority of NJ citizens approve of medical marijuana.  An AARP poll conducted in November 2004 showed that 79 percent of respondents in the Northeast aged 45 and older agreed “adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if a physician recommends it.''  These results are consistent with earlier polls.

We look forward to continuing our vigorous activities in support of safe and legal access to medical marijuana for all patients who can benefit from it.  CMM-NJ is deeply grateful for the financial support we have received and for the many hours our volunteers have devoted to this cause as we work together for rational and humane marijuana laws.

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey
844 Spruce Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08648

(609) 394-2137

ohamkrw@aol.com