In his last day in office, outgoing New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed a bill legalizing marijuana use for medical purposes on January 18, 2010. The law is expected to take effect in six months. Growing marijuana at home will still be illegal, as will driving while under the influence of marijuana.

The law allows patients with specific conditions to use marijuana which would be dispensed through licensed “alternative treatment centers”. The conditions which qualify include: cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, seizure disorder, Lou Gherig’s disease, severe muscle spasms, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and any terminal illness when the patient is expected to die within a year. The State Health Department will be tasked with writing rules to implement the new law, and other qualifying illnesses may be added to this list.

The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine has found that marijuana can be beneficial in alleviating pain associated with certain debilitating medical conditions. In addition, national polls show that eight in ten Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical use, and nearly half support decriminalizing the drug in general. The move to legalize marijuana for medical purposes by several states comes in the wake of a Department of Justice announcement in October 2009 that it would no longer prosecute those who acted in accordance with state law. Previously, those individuals faced the possibility of federal prosecutions even if their actions were in compliance with state law.