Before Stepping Aside in New Jersey, Corzine Signs Medical Marijuana Law

In one of his final acts as governor of New Jersey, Jon Corzine approved a bill legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Corzine, a Democrat, signed the legislation, along with a flurry of other bills, late Monday, just before ceding the statehouse to Republican Chris Christie, The Star-Ledger reported. Christie took office Tuesday at noon.

The measure, which would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to people with AIDS, Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular dystrophy and other serious ailments, passed both the General Assembly and the State Assembly on the final day of the legislative session.

The law, which will take effect in six months, allows the state health department to include other illnesses when it writes rules implementing the measure.

New Jersey joins 13 states that permit marijuana use for medical purposes, including Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Michigan, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont.