Menstrual cramps may soon be added to New Jersey’s list of qualifying conditions for access to medical cannabis.
Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D) proposed legislation this Friday to add conditions specific to women to the state’s medical marijuana program. “We will expand the the list to serve the population that needs it,” explained Eustace.
According to Debra Borchardt — who first broke the story for Forbes — the assemblyman was inspired by Whoopi & Maya, a recently-unveiled enterprise based in California that aims to ease the discomfort of women’s menstrual cramps with cannabis-based products.
New Jersey’s medical marijuana program is currently very restrictive, with only ten approved qualifying conditions and a conservative governor who has spoken out passionately and at length against marijuana reform of any kind.
Assembleyman Eustace is concerned that failing to adopt more progressive policies could be bad news for New Jersey. “We have a lot of people leaving the state for treatment and hopefully this will change that,” he said.
Pamela Johnston, Director for the cannabis consulting firm Electrum Partners, encourages New Jersey lawmakers to pass Eustace’s legislation.
“It’s a vote for productivity,” she said. “For all the women that miss work because of this pain.”