After initial reluctance by Gov. Christie to implement the law passed in early 2010 under his predecessor, Gov. Jon S. Corzine, the state Department of Health and Senior Services this month established regulations and set up a permitting process. But communities around the state, including Maple Shade and Bellmawr, have been reluctant to host the novel businesses.
"Everybody is afraid of something new," Thomas said. "There's a lot of misunderstanding."
Though the federal government still sees such businesses as illegal, New Jersey joined 13 other states in passing laws to permit marijuana production and sales for medicinal use. Pennsylvania is not among them.
The Obama administration has said it won't spend resources prosecuting such dispensary operators unless it finds unauthorized users.
In August, the Health and Senior Services Department gave preliminary approvals to six nonprofits - including Thomas' Trenton-based Compassionate Care Foundation - to grow and dispense marijuana.
But so far, none has gotten all the approvals needed to begin production.
When asked his opinion of Thomas' proposal, a resident in the Fernbrooke senior citizen housing development said: "I hope it doesn't go the way of California." He would not give his name. The 91-home cluster is across the street and about 1,000 yards from the proposed dispensary.
In California and Colorado, the federal government has raided some of the dispensaries in recent months after reports that marijuana was being distributed to people with no verifiable medical condition. There were also reports of legalized marijuana being smuggled across state lines.
Only people with terminal illness, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions specified in the law are eligible to receive limited quantities of the drug.
Legislators expected New Jersey's program to begin operations in 2010, but Christie sought assurances that federal agents would not prosecute.
