NJ gov OKs medical marijuana for kids

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced on Friday that he will give chronically ill children easier access to medical marijuana.

Christie agreed to allow production of ingestible forms of pot at state-approved dispensaries and to allow dispensaries to grow more than three strains of the plant.

The approval was part of a conditional veto of legislation, in which Christie approved production and dispensaries but left in place a requirement that a psychiatrist and pediatrician sign off before children are allowed medical marijuana. A third doctor's recommendation would be needed if one of the others is not registered in the program.

The bill, which will now head back to the New Jersey legislature, is supported by parents of children with severe seizure disorders who say that youngsters elsewhere have benefited from strains of marijuana.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press