Still Fighting For NJ's Family Planning Funds

Monday November 21, 2010

NJ Democrats, led by state Senator-elect and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) put forth a valiant effort to restore state funding for women’s health and family planning services. This legislation was passed in the NJ state assembly 44-25 and now moves to a vote in the state senate. To date, Governor Christie has been adamantly opposed to this bill as it requires the governor to apply for expansion of Medicaid coverage for women's health and family planning. This legislation would provide the state with nine federal dollars for every State dollar spent.

Monday’s vote was the latest of three attempts by NJ legislators to restore a portion of the $7.5 million cut from family planning services. In July 2010 Governor Christie vetoed legislation that would have restored the full $7.5 million despite the fact that funding for family planning services was found in the budget. An attempt to restore this funding failed again in September 2010 when seven republicans, who originally voted in favor of restoring the money, voted in opposition. However, earlier this month, the Assembly Appropriations Committee approved two bills that would restore $5 million for family planning services, targeting untapped money from other inflated funds. In order to restore the $5 million, the state will be required to apply for federal matching dollars for Medicaid-eligible health care consumers.

According to the New Jersey Star Ledger, restoring NJ’s family planning budget would fund 58 women’s health clinics. These clinics provide vital services such as birth control, breast and pelvic exams, HIV testing, pregnancy testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. In NJ, these services are vital as NJ has the highest rate of HIV infection amongst women in the United States. Family planning services exist as a barrier to growing HIV rates, something NJ cannot forego. Based on budget cuts, the number of women who are able to afford family planning services is expected to drop 40% and many clinics throughout the state have already closed their doors or reduced hours of operation.

These clinics are vital for NJ’s working and financially struggling as they provide affordable health services, including basic gynecological care. A reduction in services is detrimental to the women and families who work inflexible hours and depend on this health care. Not only is family planning money essential to NJ healthcare but investing money in family planning makes good financial sense. Studies cited in the September vote found that for every $1 spent on family planning services, the state saves $4 in other programs. New Jersey Women and AIDS Network is dedicated to advocating for policies that reduce the rate of HIV infection in NJ. Family planning money is essential to reducing the affects of HIV on NJ’s women. NJWAN will not stop fighting for the restoration of family planning funds and asks that you do the same. Please contact your legislators by clicking on the link below and ensure that he or she knows how important family planning money is to NJ.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/njmap210.html

Medical Marijuana Rules Reconsidered

Emotion filled the State House Annex Committee Room on Monday November 8th, as a host of people suffering from various chronic illnesses appealed to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, providing personal testimonies of the pain relief and symptom management that marijuana provides. Though a variety of diseases were represented, the patients had a common factor among them: they were all willing to implicate themselves of the illegal use of marijuana in hopes that the NJ law that has been signed since January 2010 finally be enacted. The legislation allows patients diagnosed with such severe illnesses as AIDS, cancer, Lou Gehrigs Disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis, to have access to marijuana grown through state-monitored dispensaries. Although many pharmaceutical pain and symptom management medications exist and are legal and readily accessible, the effect on quality of life is what seems to make marijuana the alternative of choice, even in the face of it being stigmatized as a “gateway drug”. Commonly prescribed opiates, like morphine and oxycontin, relieve pain but they also render the user lethargic and disoriented. Marijuana is said to have a more beneficial effect, providing pain relief, while leaving functionality intact. It also increases hunger, which is a major benefit for those who experience nausea and loss of appetite due to the side effects of medications and other complications of chronic illness. Jay Lassiter, 38, of Cherry Hill spoke of his experience of living with HIV and using marijuana as a way of managing the side-effects of his anti-retroviral therapy. "I was a criminal yesterday, and as long as this is in limbo, that's just a choice I have to make," he said. Detractors of the law were in attendance as well, and held the view that such a law might encourage recreational drug use. Candice Singer, of the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, stated that it is important to have strict limits. Despite the fact that both views were represented, support for a more accessible and user friendly marijuana law was overwhelming.
Over the last 9 months, the law that was signed by former Governor John Corzine before leaving office has been mired in the controversy and bureaucracy of current Governor Chris Christie’s draft regulations of the Medical Marijuana Program, who boldly stated that he would not have signed the bill if he was governor when it was passed. (See draft regulations: http://www.nj.gov/health/draft_mm.pdf) Upon its signing, New Jersey became the 14th State in the nation to legalize marijuana for medical uses. It also preliminarily became the only state to present such restrictive rules in regards to accessibility for patients and unattractive restrictions on physicians and those who want to apply to open one of the six proposed dispensaries. These regulations present new restrictions that are not included in the law, and prompted Senator Nicholas Scutari to introduce a resolution to the Senate Committee and the Assembly that, if successful, would force the re-evaluation of the regulations for the Medical Marijuana Program.
Since the November 8th meeting, the resolutions supporting Medical Marijuana have passed and Governor Christie’s Administration has 30 days to rewrite the rules. These changes will surely impact disease management as we know it, particularly that of HIV/AIDS. In a time when anti-retroviral therapy has proven to extend life, it does not come with out it complications. Often times those who are living with HIV/AIDS and are on medication have to craft a quality of life between bouts of nausea, diarrhea, neuropathy, and appetite loss. Not being able to do so greatly affects self-care, mental and emotional health, employment and earning potential, just to name a few life factors. There are many people who manage well using tools that are legal and readily available, and there are those who choose marijuana use despite its current stigma and social repercussions. Whatever the case, fairness in access is a right that everyone should have.