A petition calling on New Jersey Gov. Christ Christie to sign legislation adding post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of medical marijuana qualifying conditions has garnered nearly 18,000 signatures. The petition, started by The Joint Blog, comes a month after the state legislature approved a bill adding the condition, sending it to the governor for his signature.
“The measure sits on the desk of Governor Chris Christie, who has the option of signing it into law, allowing it to become law without his signature, or vetoing it,” the petition reads. “We are calling Governor Christie to quickly sign it into law, allowing those suffering from the ailment to use a medicine that research has continually shown is beneficial.”
The bill (A457) passed the Assembly, 56-13, in June, moving through the Senate, 29-9, in August.
The petition includes links to two separate studies that found marijuana therapies to be effective in the treatment of the condition, which according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, affects about 8 million adults during a given year.
Michigan, California, Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Arizona all recognize PTSD as a qualifying condition for their respective medical marijuana programs.