Dear Editor: In 1981, the New Jersey legislature enacted a law creating a therapeutic research program for medical marijuana. Four years later, in 1985, the state submitted an application to the federal government to conduct research. The difficulty of obtaining marijuana from the federal government, however, frustrated state officials and efforts to open the program were abandoned. New Jersey patients have never had legal access to medical marijuana, despite the legislature's intent. As a result, patients who need to use medical marijuana risk arrest and imprisonment on a daily basis. The good news is that the federal government has finally issued guidelines for private researchers and states that want to study marijuana's medical uses. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services should seize this opportunity to open a statewide research program, which would do three things: 1. Provide patients with a safe and reliable supply of marijuana so they don't have to purchase it from drug dealers; 2. Protect patients from state-level prosecution and adhere to federal law; and 3. Produce the data that the FDA requires before it can approve marijuana as a prescription medicine. Once that happens, marijuana can be distributed through pharmacies -- the preferred mode of distribution. Now is the time to establish a program. The new federal guidelines represent the best climate for research in 15 years. If you believe it is time for New Jersey to realize its commitment to patients and ensure legal access to medical marijuana, I urge you to contact the Marijuana Policy Project at 202-462-5747. Richard Schmitz Director of State Policies Marijuana Policy Project