DescriptionFraming an issue often sets the parameters of any public policy debate, including healthcare, and Issue Framing may predetermine the outcome. Can Issue Framing explain why New Jersey, a traditionally activist state, played a leading role on Stem Cell Research while lagging behind on Needle Exchange programs? It is hypothesized that Issue Framing will play a large role in explaining this legislative dichotomy. This hypothesis was found to be partially correct after analyzing both primary and secondary sources. Issue Framing was found to play a role in the debate phase of the policy process, but other factors also contributed to the different paths of Needle Exchange and Stem Cell Research in New Jersey.