Rutgers University just says no to growing pot for NJ’s new medical marijuana initiative

Rutgers just says no to pot growing for NJ

TRENTON, N.J. — Rutgers University will not be getting into the marijuana-growing business.

New Jersey’s largest university has declined a request from Gov. Chris Christie to become the only grower of the state’s medical marijuana crop.

The school’s dean of environmental and biological sciences department tells The Star-Ledger of Newark that marijuana’s status as an illegal drug would jeopardize federal funding to the school.

The state’s legislature approved a plan to allow patients with certain chronic illnesses to access marijuana. Christie suggested the marijuana be grown by Rutgers and distributed by the state’s teaching hospitals.

Implementation of the law has been delayed until January to give state health officials time to work out details.