What was also lost in the attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey was the ability to allow terminal medical marijuana patients to get as much as they need to keep them comfortable.  Governor Phil Murphy says he will soon expand medical marijuana to as many as 200 thousand patients. Unfortunately the plan does not cover the ability of those in the program to buy more than the allotted 2 ounces of plant per month. If it's medically determined that they need it to relieve pain and that's what they are using it for, why shouldn't they get as much as they need, especially if they are terminal?

This was the purpose of the "Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act," which also went away with the cancelled marijuana bill, named after 7-year-old Jake Honig, who passed away Jan 21, 2018 after a five year battle with brain cancer.

Jake's father Mike called my show last night. He said that, "Medical Marijuana was the only medication that alleviated his pain, his nausea, his vomiting, his agitation. It allowed him to be who he really was when he was sick and allowed him to spend time us us and his siblings."

When the 2 ounce allotment ran out, Jake was forced to use morphine and OxyContin to ease his pain, which left him lethargic and uncomfortable.

"Part of Jake Honig's law inside this bill allows for terminally ill patients to have an unlimited amount of medical marijuana," says Honig. "Why force a 7-year-old boy who's finally getting the relief he needs and the ability to function with his family to go on opioids?"

Hoing goes on to say, "medical [marijuana] needs to become untied from recreational so that patients can have the medicine that they need today and everything from recreational can take the time to get everything ironed out."

The Honigs have a movement going on in their son's name to raise awareness and a law for medical marijuana, as well as funds for childhood cancer. Check out belikejake.com.

More from New Jersey 101.5:

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM