Rutgers turns down Gov. Christie's offer to grow N.J. crop of medical marijuana

Federal drug prohibition often uses the power of the purse to control the drug policies of the various states. Rutgers University has declined a request from Gov. Chris Christie’s administration to be the lone grower of New Jersey’s medical marijuana crop because the drug’s illegal status would jeopardize millions of dollars in federal funding. The governor was counting on Rutgers to be the sole grower and a number of teaching hospitals to be the only sellers as a counter proposal to the law that passed before he became governor that would allow up to six nonprofits to provide and distribute the drug.