Yesterday, New Jersey became the 14th state to approve the usage of medicinal marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses.

This new measure allows patients who are suffering from cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries. Patients who have prescriptions for medicinal marijuana should be able to receive it within the next 9 months from one of six locations.

Governor Jon S. Corzine is going to sign it into law as the last thing he does before he leaves office next Tuesday.

The New York Times reports:

“The bill’s approval, ...continue reading]]> Yesterday, New Jersey became the 14th state to approve the usage of medicinal marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses.

This new measure allows patients who are suffering from cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries. Patients who have prescriptions for medicinal marijuana should be able to receive it within the next 9 months from one of six locations.

Governor Jon S. Corzine is going to sign it into law as the last thing he does before he leaves office next Tuesday.

The New York Times reports:

“The bill’s approval, which comes after years of lobbying by patients’ rights groups and advocates of less restrictive drug laws, was nearly derailed at the 11th hour as some Democratic lawmakers wavered and Governor-elect Christopher J. Christie, a Republican, went to the State House and expressed reservations about it.

In the end, however, it passed by comfortable margins in both houses: 48-14 in the General Assembly and 25-13 in the State Senate.”

Pro-Gay Marriage Protest in Trenton, NJ

Although the same-sex marriage bill in New Jersey has a long way to go, today, a petition signed by more than 2,300 Democratic officials, advocates, and residents, has been helping to sway members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee to legalize gay marriage. The petition was circulated by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is a liberal political advocacy group.

Among the signees was Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, a Democrat from Union County, who says that the petition produces a strong “momentum change” for the bill, although is has been stalled in the last few weeks. ...continue reading]]>

Pro-Gay Marriage Protest in Trenton, NJ

Although the same-sex marriage bill in New Jersey has a long way to go, today, a petition signed by more than 2,300 Democratic officials, advocates, and residents, has been helping to sway members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee to legalize gay marriage. The petition was circulated by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is a liberal political advocacy group.

Among the signees was Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, a Democrat from Union County, who says that the petition produces a strong “momentum change” for the bill, although is has been stalled in the last few weeks. Lesniak is a member of the Judiciary Committee, which plans to vote on the bill on Monday. He predicts that the bill would pass, although the vote would be close.

Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark, also signed the petition, along with Ronald K. Chen, the state’s public advocate, and J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo, director of the state’s Division on Civil Rights.

The Judiciary Committee expects to hear a lot of testimony from both sides on Monday, including testimony from gay couples who would be criticizing and pointing out the faults in the state’s current civil union law, which was passed in 2006.

New York voted down gay marriage legislation earlier this week, and a referendum in Maine also turned down gay marriage recently, so it is anyone’s guess as to what will happen to the bill in New Jersey. If it passes, it could set a precedent which states such as New York and Maine might wind up following.

Police officers secure the area after a shooting in Paterson, N.J.

The Thanksgiving holidays ended tragically for one family in New Jersey this year, when early on Saturday morning, a man chased down and shot his wife and two sons, killing one of them, before he himself was shot by an off-duty police officer.

Investigators have not yet found a clear motive for the crime.

Paramedics pronounced Adrian Gonzales, 7-years-old, dead at the scene. His 11-year-old brother and mother were hospitalized and currently are in critical condition. The gunman, Edelmiro Gonzales, 54, was also taken to the hospital, where he died several hours ...continue reading]]>

Police officers secure the area after a shooting in Paterson, N.J.

The Thanksgiving holidays ended tragically for one family in New Jersey this year, when early on Saturday morning, a man chased down and shot his wife and two sons, killing one of them, before he himself was shot by an off-duty police officer.

Investigators have not yet found a clear motive for the crime.

Paramedics pronounced Adrian Gonzales, 7-years-old, dead at the scene. His 11-year-old brother and mother were hospitalized and currently are in critical condition. The gunman, Edelmiro Gonzales, 54, was also taken to the hospital, where he died several hours later.

A resident that witnessed the shooting, told the Record of Bergen County that he saw the gunman run after the three victims as he fired “multiple gunshots.” The witness, Will Hayes, also said that the off-duty officer was in a car at a nearby fast food restaurant and after witnessing the events, confronted the man, telling him to stop and dropped his weapon. When the gunman refused, the officer shot him, according to Hayes.

”One kid was trying to get up,” Hayes said. ”They were young. I started crying.”