Sponsored by:
Senator BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes University Hospital Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning medical cannabis, supplementing Title 18 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the University Hospital Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act.
2. The Legislature find and declares that there is growing body of evidence supporting the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis for individuals with certain medical conditions, including cancer and other recognized disabilities.
3. As used in this act:
"Cannabis" has the meaning given to "marihuana" in section 2 of the "New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances Act," P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-2).
Eligible patient means a means a resident of the State who is authorized for the medical use of cannabis by a health care practitioner and is registered with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission pursuant to P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-1 et al).
Hospital means University Hospital or any other hospital that is affiliated with University Hospital and participating in the pilot program.
Medical use of cannabis means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3).
Pilot program means the University Hospital Medical Cannabis Pilot Program established pursuant to this act.
4. a. There is established in University Hospital a five-year University Hospital Medical Cannabis Pilot Program. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to: provide medical cannabis treatment to eligible patients in order to evaluate its efficacy in improving patient outcomes; raise awareness about medical cannabis; and conduct clinical research on, and drive innovation in, the medical use of a cannabis.
b. Subject to the provisions of subsection c. of this section, University Hospital shall have the discretion to determine the scope and details of the pilot program.
c. At a minimum and in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-1 et al), the pilot program shall seek to:
(1) establish an advisory council of patients, caregivers, and advocacy groups to solicit feedback and insights to guide the design and implementation of the pilot program;
(2) establish a designated area in each hospital to conduct clinical research on the medical use of cannabis and to provide medical cannabis treatment, monitoring, and follow-up services to eligible patients, which area shall include facilities and resources to facilitate the consumption of medical cannabis products including, but not limited to, outdoor smoking areas that are secure, elevated, and supervised;
(3) collaborate and establish formal partnerships with academic institutions, research organizations, technology startup companies, and other healthcare companies in order to:
(a) conduct research on the use of medical cannabis, which research shall include, but not be limited to, gathering data on the efficacy of medical cannabis treatment for different medical conditions and patient demographics and generating evidence-based insights to inform future-healthcare policy and practice;
(b) receive clinical support for the implementation of the pilot program, which may include the use of novel therapies, diagnostics, and treatment modalities related to medical cannabis; and
(c) ensure rigor and credibility when evaluating program outcomes;
(4) recruit, screen, verify, and enroll eligible patients, as defined in section 2 of this act, to participate in, and receive medical cannabis treatment under, the pilot program;
(5) to the extent possible, integrate the use of telehealth and telemedicine to provide patients enrolled in the pilot program with virtual consultations and remote monitoring to track patient progress, monitor vital signs, and provide real-time feedback to healthcare providers;
(6) provide patients enrolled in the pilot program with access to innovative delivery methods for medical cannabis including, but not limited to, the administration of medical cannabis through transdermal patches, inhalers, and sublingual sprays;
(7) integrate the pilot program with existing healthcare services provided at each hospital by providing coordination with primary care providers, specialists, and mental health professionals and ensuring that a patient enrolled in the pilot program has access to comprehensive care, including complementary therapies, counseling services, and nutritional support, to address the patients holistic health needs;
(8) ensure that patients are actively engaged in the design and implementation of any research initiatives conducted under the pilot program and that such research initiatives prioritize the inclusion of diverse patient populations, address patient-identified research priorities, and promote shared decision-making between patients and researchers;
(9) establish community outreach and education initiatives to raise awareness about the use of medical cannabis, address stigma, and provide information to patients and caregivers through various methods including, but not limited to, public forums, educational materials, and partnerships with community organizations;
(10) ensure that robust data privacy and security measures are implemented in the pilot program and that any data collected pursuant to the pilot program shall be collected and used in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws;
(11) develop a strategic plan to ensure the long-term viability and scalability of the pilot program, which shall include, but not be limited to, strategies for securing additional funding for the pilot program, expanding medical cannabis treatment services to other hospitals in the State, and integrating any lessons learned from the pilot program into Statewide healthcare policies and practices;
(12) establish a continuous quality improvement system for the pilot program in order to monitor program performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement evidence-based best practices based on stakeholder feedback, patient outcomes data, and performance metrics that shall be regularly reviewed by the hospital.
d. No later than 12 months after the effective date of this act and annually thereafter, University Hospital shall prepare and submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature a report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program. The report shall include an analysis of the impact of the pilot program and shall include any of University Hospitals recommendations concerning the implementation of pilot program. At the conclusion of the five-year pilot program, University Hospital shall submit a final report, which report shall include University Hospital's recommendation on the feasibility of continuing the program.
5. There is appropriated from the General Fund to University Hospital such sums as are necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission of the final report required pursuant to subsection d. of section 4 of this act.
STATEMENT