Law New Jersey

[Baron23]

If NJ ever goes full legal it will have a massive impact on the NE and mid-Atlantic states. Either legalize or lose revenue to NJ. Take your pick cause people are going to cross the state line to buy if necessary.


Will weed be legal in NJ in 2019? Here's the latest on marijuana

How soon will New Jersey legalize recreational marijuana for adults?

A vote by the Legislature could be coming soon.

State Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, who has been working on a measure to make pot legal for months, says progress is being made and he’s hoping hearings will wrap up and a vote will be taken sometime in June before lawmakers break for the summer.

Scutari, the chairman of the legislative committee overseeing this bill, insists “prohibitions of marijuana is nothing but a cash cow for the illegal drug market."

"It does nothing to safeguard our streets. All it does is mass incarcerate and take away educational and career opportunities for our young people," he said.

Gov. Phil Murphy campaigned on legalizing recreational use of marijuana. But top members of his own Democratic Party have been hesitant to move quickly.

Still, Scutari is hopeful.

“We’re hopeful to finally turn the corner on this and make it legal, just as alcohol was a hundred years ago," he said.

Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey Cannabusiness Association, says as legislative hearings continue, entrepreneurs and business groups are holding seminars and training sessions about how to become a part of what’s expected to be a profitable industry.

He believes expanding access to marijuana would be positive.

“We’re in the middle of this awful opioid epidemic and there’s a solution: One plant can replace 11, 12, 20 different medications,” says Rudder.

He notes in other states that have adopted recreational pot laws, opioid use and opioid overdoses are going down, and teenage use is also dropping.

“We’re talking to mayors, we’re talking to community leaders, we’re talking to senators, we’re taking to members of the Assembly, and we’re finding that more and more people are coming onboard. So I do believe we have the momentum.”

As for those who insist marijuana is a dangerous gateway drug, Rudder said there is absolutely no proof to back that up.

“If you were going to talk about gateway theories, and you’re saying a person who once used cocaine previously used cannabis, I guarantee that person also once drank lemonade. We cannot just make this general leap. Cannabis in its purest sense is not addictive. Sugar and caffeine have more addictive qualities.”

He adds “we’ve been told our entire lives that cannabis cocaine and heroin are all the same thing. But we’ve seen the past 30 years of educational research that’s so far from the truth.”

So when will recreational marijuana be available to buy?

Rudder says if legislation is passed to legalize cannabis by the end of next month, there will be a rather lengthy but necessary regulatory process that follows.

“I envision that sometime the summer of next year we’ll start to see new adult-use dispensaries joining the medical cannabis dispensaries in New Jersey," he said.

 

[Baron23]

As always, my view is no play, no pay. Don't want MJ, then you don't get the tax revenue. Also, if you don't eat your meat, you don't get your pudding. LOL


New Jersey cities and towns taking sides over recreational marijuana

While recreational marijuana is not yet legal in New Jersey, cities and towns are already making plans to either embrace it or prohibit it. To date, 19 municipalities have started the process of regulating cannabis within their borders.

Gov. Phil Murphy is a strong advocate for legalizing recreational marijuana; however, it is going to take a while for lawmakers to reach a consensus. Even Murphy has acknowledged that it may take until the end of the year for a bill to reach his desk.

Local Oversight Over Cannabis

The marijuana legalization bills proposed by Senator Nick Scutari and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora diverge on several key issues, including how cannabis would be taxed, who could grow it and how many businesses can operate. However, both leave significant oversight to New Jersey municipalities.

Under the proposed legislation, municipalities can prohibit the operation of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities or retail marijuana stores through the enactment of an ordinance. However, the failure to enact an ordinance prohibiting the operation of a marijuana establishment will permit the operation of a marijuana retail establishment within the local governmental entity for five years.

At the end of the five-year period, and every five-year period thereafter, cities and towns can revisit their decision regarding the operation of a marijuana establishment.

Where NJ Municipalities Stand on Legal Marijuana

Many New Jersey cities and towns are not waiting for the state to legalize recreational cannabis before enacting ordinances to regulate it.

In December, Point Pleasant Beach voted to ban sales of both medicinal and recreational marijuana. The Point Pleasant Beach cannabis ordinance prohibits businesses from selling medicinal or recreational marijuana within a quarter-mile of schools, churches, residential areas and marine commercial and general commercial districts. Doing so effectively bans all sales within town limits.

Berkeley, Hazlet, Old Bridge, Wall, and Garfield are among the other municipalities that have enacted ordinances prohibiting marijuana businesses. Three counties—Monmouth, Ocean and Cape May—have also formally opposed the legalization of recreational cannabis.

The number of municipalities giving cannabis the green light is decidedly smaller. However, two of the state’s largest cities, Asbury Park and Jersey City, have made it clear that they plan to welcome pot businesses.

In January, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop tweeted:

I’m a supporter of legalization of marijuana + in next few weeks our planning dept is going to clean up JC zoning laws so that we can get ahead of where we’ll allow/not allow dispensaries, grow facilities etc. we want our zoning to be clear w/community input + to avoid lawsuits

Recognizing the complex decisions that cities and towns will face, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities has convened a task force on marijuana legalizationand plans to examine a range of issues, ranging from land use to public safety. League President Jim Cassella, mayor of East Rutherford, is chairing, and Clinton mayor Janice Kovach, 3rd Vice President of the League, is the co-chair.

 

[Baron23]

The N.J. legal weed bill we've all been waiting on is finally here -- but can it pass?

The state senator leading the charge on legal weed in New Jersey introduced a new bill Thursday that would bring recreational marijuana to the state while expanding the medical marijuana program.

State Sen. Nicholas Scutari on Thursday unveiled a combined bill that aims to address the two biggest marijuana-related issues in New Jersey: an expansion of medical marijuana and full legalization of weed for adults. Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, is also a prime sponsor, Scutari said.

This is the first bill introduced that combines the two efforts. Scutari's bill calls for 218 total marijuana dispensaries, 120 of them recreational and 98 of them medical.

According to Scutari and a copy of the legislation obtained by NJ Advance Media:

• Municipalities may ban a dispensary from opening within its border, but the local governing body must pass an ordinance doing so within 180 days of the law's enactment.
• The 7 percent sales tax on medicinal cannabis will be phased-out within three years
• A dispensary may create a separate "retail marijuana consumption area" on the premises.
• A positive drug test cannot be used as the basis to deny a person medical care, housing or a job "unless failing to do so would put the school, employer, or landlord in violation of federal law or cause it to lose a federal contract or funding."

Scutari, D-Union, also introduced another bill that only deals with making recreational marijuana legal for adults 21 and older.

Earlier in the day, Scutari had intended to introduce a third bill expanding the medicinal marijuana law, but he delayed doing so in order to work out details that would be agreeable to Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, the co-prime sponsor.

Vitale has said he would not support a combined bill and opposes recreational marijuana. "The only thing the combined bill has in common is cannabis," Vitale said. "Each of those issues should e treated separately because they have different regulatory frameworks, challenges and purposes.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, has agreed to sign on as a prime sponsor of the combined bill, Scutari said.

NJ Advance Media reported last week that Scutari was considering merging medical and recreational marijuana in his new bill, and that such a move could jeopardize both efforts ahead of June 30, which is the Legislature's budget deadline and when lawmakers typically take their summer break.

"I'm going to give it a shot. But we are running out of time," Scutari said on Thursday. Despite opposition from several lawmakers, Scutari's plan will have some support in the Legislature.

"I stand firmly behind Sen. Nicolas Scutari's proposal to merge the medical and recreational marijuana bills, and will be a vocal advocate in the Assembly," said Assemblyman Jamel Holley in a statement last week.

"The senator's proposal is the most sensible and streamlined way in which to address the issue, developing universal procedures and ensuring clarity," said Holley, who has expressed a willingness to be a sponsor.

Scutari has been working to get recreational marijuana in New Jersey since 2014. He introduced a recreational bill in 2017 that went nowhere and reintroduced that bill in January, as pot-friendly Gov. Phil Murphy was about to take office.

Murphy campaigned on marijuana legalization and announced a major expansion of New Jersey's medical marijuana program earlier this year. Several health conditions were added to the program and enrollment has gone from around 16,000 in December to 22,800 this week, according to the state Health Department.

While the governor has been able to take steps to grow the program, he's also looked to lawmakers to make some of the more ambitious changes, like allowing the state to issue licenses for new businesses to join the market.

 

[Baron23]

A bill to legalize recreational cannabis has been introduced in New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's push to legalize recreational cannabis legalization in the Garden State is beginning to take shape.

A new bill that would bring legal weed to to NJ as well as expand on the state's medical marijuana legislation has been introduced by two democrats. The bill is being brought to the State Senate by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Nicholas Scutari, writes Calvin Hughes.

If passed, the legislation would allow adults 21 or older to buy, consume and possess up to one ounce of cannabis. However, individual cities and towns will retain the right to ban sales of cannabis if they so desire.

The legislation would also loosen the state's medical marijuana regulations. Under the new bill, any healthcare provider who is permitted to write prescriptions for controlled substances could also recommend medical marijuana to patients.

Expanding the number of doctors who can make that recommendation could dramatically increase the number of patients who can access medicinal cannabis.

Governor Phil Murphy has been pushing for cannabis legalization as part of his campaign platform. He is currently optimistic that the new bills will be passed and has included $60M of cannabis taxes in his budget for the 2019 fiscal year.

 

[Baron23]

N.J.'s busiest weed dispensary wants to build largest greenhouse on East Coast

By Bill Duhart

bduhart@njadvancemedia.com,

For NJ.com

New Jersey's busiest medical marijuana dispensary appears to be ready to get even busier.

Curaleaf, formerly known as Compassionate Sciences, opened a new retail location across the street from its existing location in Bellmawr last month and has entered the planning stage for a 100,000-square-foot, indoor growing facility on a remediated landfill here near an intersection of interstates 295 and 76, company and borough officials said. The new facility would be about the size of two football fields.

"We're reviewing environmental design for potentially the largest greenhouse on the East Coast," George Schidlovsky, president of Curaleaf New Jersey said Friday. "We are working in lockstep with the governor's office, the Department of Health, the Legislature and municipality to provide the largest variety of cannabis products and the largest selection in the state."

Curaleaf was the first of six dispensaries in the state to get permission to expand its operation. Gov. Phil Murphy won election in November on a platform to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. But those plans have stalled amid resistance from the state Legislature, including members of his own party.




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This will help people navigate what could be one of N.J.'s biggest economic opportunities in years.

"We have nine sales stations designed to process 1,000 patients a day," Schidlovsky said. "We can do 100 new patient consultations a day and we're designed to provide the largest access to the most affordable products and designed for future expansion."

Part of Curaleaf's recipe for success so far seems to be good relations with the borough of Bellmawr.


NJCI George Schidlovsky, Executive Director at Curaleaf in Bellmawr, sits at a consultation space inside the dispensary. Curaleaf is among 6 dispensaries licensed to sell medical cannabis in the state. Bellmawr, N.J., 5/16/2018. (Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
"I took a beating when they opened up," Bellmawr Mayor Frank Filipek said this week. "But they've lived up to everything they said they would do. They've been a real good corporate citizen. I haven't had one complaint, not one."

Murphy has already approved several common conditions to be treated with cannabis, and the program is adding around 100 people every day, according to the Health Department. It now has more than 23,200 patients and has added about 5,000 patients this year.

Curaleaf served 6,358 patients, with 76,406 transactions and 2,302 pounds of product dispensed in 2017, according to a state Department of Health annual report released in April. The next closest facility for pounds sold among six other dispensaries was Breakwater in Cranberry with 1,001 pounds distributed, according to the report.

Schidlovsky said his company has spent over $20 million in Bellmawr since it opened its doors in 2015 hiring local construction teams and employees to manage the renovations.


Marijuana plants grow at the Curalef medical marijuana dispensary in Bellmawr in this 2015 file phtoo.
"These jobs and investments become economic drivers that stimulate a responsible, compliant and sustainable industry that helps residents improve their quality of life," a statement from Curaleaf said.

The proposed greenhouse would be located on a remediated landfill the borough has been trying to redevelop for the past 10 years. One key selling point for the land is it sits near an intersection of key roads including I-295 and is expected to be tied into the state Department of Transportation's mega Direct Connect project when it is finally completed, officials said.

It will be Curaleaf's second growing facility here. The greenhouses are off limits to the public, video monitored 24-hours a day by the state and can only be entered by authorized company employees.

Filipek said he has already seen an uptick in the occupancy in the industrial park in which Curaleaf is located.

"We were at about 25 percent occupancy here a few years ago," Filipek said. "Now with Curaleaf, WB Mason and Amoroso's bread company we're doing much better."

Are you interested in the NJ cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider

 

[Baron23]

Legal weed in New Jersey? Not so fast.

New Jersey's rush toward legal marijuana has slowed to a crawl.

Gov. Phil Murphy's first 100 days in office came and went without a legal weed bill passing the Legislature. Then, on July 1, Murphy signed a state budget that does not anticipate non-medical marijuana sales in the next year, forcing the administration to strip out $60 million in revenue that it had anticipated from taxes on the drug.

Even though summers typically bring the doldrums for controversial and complex legislation, the state's legal weed advocates insist that they're on the verge of a breakthrough. It's one area of agreement between Murphy and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who locked horns over non-marijuana tax increases during state budget negotiations.

"We're rounding the corner with marijuana," Sweeney told reporters Sunday, after the budget compromise with Murphy was finalized.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, the sponsor of the main legal marijuana bill, acknowledged that there is not yet consensus around several key issues: how many marijuana retailers and manufacturers would be permitted, how much the drug would be taxed, which agency would be responsible for enforcing marijuana laws, and whether prior marijuana convictions would be automatically expunged from criminal records.

"There are a lot of specifics that we're trying to iron out," Scutari said. "I think it's pretty likely that something's going to get passed this summer. Hopefully it's a version of my bill."

Mason jars with loose marijuana flowers are seen at the Sunset Herbal Corner in Los Angeles, California on Monday, April 16, 2018.

Scutari's bill would allow 218 marijuana dispensaries in New Jersey, of which 98 would be limited to patients with medical cards. Non-medical purchases would be subject to the state's 6.625 percent sales tax, plus a marijuana tax that would reach 25 percent after four years.

Before marijuana sales were omitted from the final state budget, Murphy's administration planned legal sales to adults 21 and older to begin Jan. 1, 2019.

That goal still may be within reach, said Scott Rudder, the former state lawmaker who heads the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, which represents prospective growers, manufacturers and others in the marijuana industry.

Rudder said the state budget stalemate sucked the oxygen out of other major policy debates in Trenton. With the budget done, Rudder said, lawmakers can turn their attention to marijuana in the coming weeks.

That doesn't mean they'll come to an agreement, however, said Jeanette Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the anti-legalization coalition New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy.

"On issues ranging from public safety and drugged driving to increased drug use and the black market, there remain a variety of issues that elected officials have regarding legalizing recreational marijuana," Hoffman said. "This is not a done deal at all."

 

[Baron23]

In New Jersey, Legal marijuana is so close you can smell it. But it could be awhile.

Tucked inside a nondescript commercial warehouse here sits a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation. A custom filtration system feeds a proprietary cocktail of nutrients into a hydroponic, two-level farming system. Two pallets of crops are harvested every day, and the 15,000 square feet will eventually yield two tons of marijuana per year.

And it’s all legal. Opened just a few weeks ago, Harmony Dispensary is the latest site in New Jersey to provide marijuana for medical use, a program that has expanded greatly since Gov. Philip D. Murphy, a Democrat, was sworn in.

More than 10,000 patients have enrolled since he took office in January, bringing the total to about 25,000. And on Monday, Mr. Murphy’s office announced it was seeking up to six new applicants for medicinal marijuana dispensaries.

“There’s been a very steady flow of patients since, literally, an hour after we announced the opening,” said Shaya Brodchandel, the chief executive of Harmony.

But business could be even better.

Mr. Murphy campaigned heavily on a promise to legalize marijuana for recreational use, which would make New Jersey the 10th state to do so, and the first in the New York City region. Full recreational legalization was projected to generate $80 million in annual tax revenue, according to Mr. Murphy’s budget proposal.

Yet more than halfway through the governor’s first year, the effort has stalled. It once looked like the plan could sail through the state Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats and where it has support from Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president. But an intraparty battle over the state budget consumed Trenton’s recent attention.

“I would hope we could do it this year,” Mr. Murphy said in an interview, stressing that it was worth a delay to make sure the bill was comprehensive and covered all relevant issues and concerns.

Nicholas P. Scutari, a Democratic senator from northern New Jersey who has led the legalization effort, said a bill could still pass this summer. “In August: committee hearings and voting session, just for marijuana,” he promised.

Different strains of marijuana on display at Harmony Dispensary. While New Jersey’s medical marijuana program has been expanding under Gov. Philip D. Murphy, his efforts to legalize recreational use have stalled.

Last month, Mr. Scutari tried unsuccessfully to combine an expansion of medical marijuana and the legalization of recreational marijuana into asingle bill. Now he is working on drafts of two separate bills.

“It’s on legal pad right now,” he said. “We’re literally going line by line and issue by issue. It’s creating a whole industry from scratch.”

Mr. Scutari’s plan would grant the state’s existing medical dispensaries a license to sell recreational marijuana the first day it became legal — after enough was set aside for patients. This would be a boon for impatient smokers: In other states it has often taken a year after legalization for sales to begin.

As a result, Harmony Dispensary, which is about a mile from the major New Jersey Transit hub here, could become a premier destination for New Yorkers looking to buy marijuana legally. (In New York State, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, seems to be warming to the idea of recreational use.)

Making recreational marijuana available right away could also create a supply and demand problem.

Mr. Brodchandel said the challenge was on his mind: “We have to project what’s going to happen in a year and a half and start today preparing for that.”

But first the law would have to pass. And support among Democrats is faltering particularly among some legislators representing urban areas.

Senator Ronald R. Rice, the chairman of the state’s legislative black caucus and one of the most vocal opponents of legalization, fears dispensaries would be concentrated in cities.

“There’s been a very steady flow of patients since, literally, an hour after we announced the opening,” Mr. Brodchandel

“In my heart, and from my experience, I know the detriment it’s going to cause long-term in urban communities in particular,” he said. He supports decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana instead.

Mr. Murphy, however, said decriminalization was not going far enough.

“Decriminalization for me doesn’t get it done,” Mr. Murphy said, “because it leaves the business in the hands of the bad guys, it leaves our kids exposed, and it leaves the industry unregulated and untaxed. So while social justice and protecting our kids might be of paramount importance, if there’s a way for the state at the end of the day to make some revenues out of this, we should accept that.”

The debate has inspired a furious lobbying effort, which has overtaken Trenton for more than a year.

“I can’t walk down the hallway of anywhere without people asking about marijuana,” Mr. Scutari said.

Dozens of lobbyists from different interests, from the New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance to the New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, have lobbied legislators in recent months, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. And 19 different interest groups have formed to promote recreational marijuana in Trenton, while four have set up in opposition.

“Very often you have coalitions that kind of build off disparate types of interests, but I think it’s greater on this particular issue than anything I’ve ever seen,” said Jeff Brindle, the executive director of the Election Law Enforcement Commission. “I think this is pretty unique.”

Businesses are also hotly competing for a toehold, especially since relatively few medical dispensaries have been licensed so far.

Under one plan for legalization, medical dispensaries would be allowed to offer the drug to recreational users right away.

“Our view is that the market has to open up significantly,” said Peter Barsoom, the chief executive of 1906, a premium edible cannabis brand based in Denver. “If New Jersey does it right, it has the potential to leapfrog every other state in terms of access to quality cannabis, in terms of innovation in the marketplace, and in terms of research.”

His company recently hosted Craig J. Coughlin, the Assembly speaker, and other state lawmakers invited to Colorado, where marijuana was legalized in 2012, to study its marijuana market up close.

While the fate of recreational use remains unclear, Mr. Murphy’s campaign to expand access to medical marijuana has been more successful. He signed an executive order in March significantly expanding the list of qualifying medical conditions, and the number of patients in the program has been rising steadily.

On Monday, the governor’s office sent out a request for applications for up to six new medical dispensaries, which would essentially double the state’s current marijuana infrastructure. The release said it was looking for two new dispensaries each in the northern, central and southern parts of the state.

One challenge for the administration has been convincing skeptical doctors to prescribe the drug. Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the state health commissioner, has been giving hourlong lectures, known as grand rounds, at the state’s teaching hospitals advocating more use.

“Part of the goal with these grand rounds is to demystify medical marijuana and to make sure people are clear about what the research does say,” Dr. Elnahal said. He said he had embraced medical marijuana after seeing patients he had prescribed high doses of narcotics for pain return years later dependent on those drugs. Former patients who had used medical marijuana avoided a similar fate, he said.

Dr. Elnahal said he believed that medical marijuana, particularly as a substitute for opioid pain killers, was an essential part of the future of health care.

In Secaucus, where a faint skunky new odor now mixes with the acrid belchings of trucks on the Meadowlands Parkway, Harmony Dispensary is looking forward to progress, however it comes.

“We just opened our retail space,” said Leslie Hoffman, Harmony’s communications director. “And we’re already moving toward expansion.”

 

[Baron23]

“If in fact we legalize recreational marijuana, right across the street from my office they’re going to put up stores,” Rice told NJTV. “They want to call them dispensaries, but they’re going to be stores that do retail selling cupcakes with marijuana, candies with marijuana, sex toys and oils with marijuana, lipsticks with marijuana, all those kinds of products that kids can get and people can get.”​

“If you get too high, you die from it. It kills you directly if it’s too potent.”
​

I'm sorry, but this guy......

There’s a Surprising Obstacle to Legalizing Marijuana in New Jersey

ew Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) campaigned on, among other things, a promise to legalize marijuana in his first 100 days in office. That didn’t happen. It may not happen at all this year, and state Sen. Ronald Rice (D) is one major reason why.

Marijuana legalization advocates led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Cumberland) and Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) filed a pair of bills this session, S 2702 and S 2703 that provide lawmakers a framework for legalization, but opposition from the likes of Rice has blunted forward momentum so far.

Rice represents part of Newark, a district more than half black, and is the head of the state’s Legislative Black Caucus. He is also a major anti-marijuana legalization advocate, with an array of arguments from the depths of Reefer Madness.

He most recently made headlines last week with his hyperventilating warning that if pot is legalized, Garden Staters will be faced with the prospect of — gasp! — “sex toys and oils with marijuana,” and it could be happening right in his face.

“If in fact we legalize recreational marijuana, right across the street from my office they’re going to put up stores,” Rice told NJTV. “They want to call them dispensaries, but they’re going to be stores that do retail selling cupcakes with marijuana, candies with marijuana, sex toys and oils with marijuana, lipsticks with marijuana, all those kinds of products that kids can get and people can get.”

It’s not clear why Rice thinks “kids” will be able to get marijuana products. When marijuana is legalized, it is only ever legalized for adults — not kids.

He also made a muddled attempt to deploy the discredited gateway theory that marijuana use leads to hard drug use, arguing that, “When you legalize marijuana recreationally, the number of people who’ve never used any type of drugs goes up substantially in terms of drug use.” Say what?

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Rice recognizes the devastating impact that racially biased marijuana law enforcement has on the state’s minority communities — the New Jersey ACLU reported last year that between 2000 and 2013, black residents were arrested at a rate nearly three times that of whites, even though both groups used weed at similar rates — but says the answer is decriminalization, not legalization.

He has even filed a bill this year that would decriminalize the possession of up to ten grams, but that would also enable the state to force some marijuana users into drug treatment.

“I still want to deter people from doing something that’s bad for them,” Rice explained to Gothamist back in April. “If you get too high, you die from it. It kills you directly if it’s too potent.”

Of course, there is no known case of anyone dying from a marijuana overdose, but somebody forgot to let Rose on the secret.

In that same Gothamist interview, Rice unleashed a Gish gallop of problems he claimed would be unleashed by legal (but not decriminalized?) marijuana: Babies born with THC in their brains, businesses desperate for workers who could pass drug tests, people cashing in food stamps to score weed, drug cartels getting in the legal pot businesses, an army of drug addicts as pot smokers escalate to harder drugs, and devastated inner cities, among other looming calamities.

Rice also took his anti-legalization views to Washington, DC — on April 20th of all days — along with Bishop Jethro James Jr. of Newark’s Paradise Baptist Church and former Democratic US Rep. Patrick Kennedy to join up with the pot prohibitionist Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) at a press conference to blunt legalization moves.

The senator was in typical form there, warning that people already go hungry to buy drugs and that those numbers will only increase if it’s easier to access legal marijuana. Rice also raised the specter of lethal violence if white college students from outside Newark come into the city in search of drugs or if blacks from the city go to white suburban towns to buy legal weed.

“Somebody’s going to get killed,” he said.

Rice has been in the state Senate since 1986, has won reelection easily in his heavily Democratic district, and didn’t even face a primary challenger this year. He may be progressive on some issues, but on other issues, he displays the same reactionary tendencies he has displayed around marijuana. He was one of only two Democrats in the Senate to vote against bills legalizing same-sex marriage in 2009 and 2012. It may be time for District 28 voters to start looking for a senator from this century.

 

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"The chief obstacle in Trenton to marijuana legalization has been the Legislative Black Caucus, led by Sen. Ron Rice."

"What we know is that when you legalize marijuana recreationally, the number of people who’ve never used any type of drugs goes up substantially in terms of drug use,” Rice said.​

This....eh...."guy"....Rice has been saying this and way more ignorant and bias stuff all along. NJ just needs to go around this dinosaur as there is no language that will satisfy him.


Marijuana bill amendments do little to change mind of key opponent



Assemblyman Jamel Holley has taken the initiative on legalized marijuana. He has taken the bill introduced by state Sen. Nick Scutari, the prime mover on recreational marijuana, and tried to make it more widely acceptable.

“I took the approach, since this is going to happen in the state of New Jersey, why not thrust myself into the conversation and to provide opportunities for minorities, and women, and people who look like me to be a part of this discussion for the legalization of marijuana,” Holley said.

Holley was part of a legislative delegation that visited Colorado to see how legalization works there. He’s been supportive of the concept ever since.

The chief obstacle in Trenton to marijuana legalization has been the Legislative Black Caucus, led by Sen. Ron Rice.

Holley’s amendments appear to be designed to win over members of the Black Caucus, but they are not winning over Rice.

“New Jersey is not Colorado. The demographics here are very, very different,” Rice said.

Wednesday, Rice gave us a litany of reasons why marijuana legalization makes no sense. He said the neighborhood outside his office is ripe for exploitation by those peddling pot, which he sees as a major gateway drug.

“I’m five blocks away from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey which is a predominant rich, upper-middle class, white community, college community. What we know is that when you legalize marijuana recreationally, the number of people who’ve never used any type of drugs goes up substantially in terms of drug use,” Rice said.

The Scutari bill limits the number of marijuana dispensaries statewide, including medical, to 218. Holley would amend that to allow state regulators, a so-called Division of Marijuana Enforcement, to set the number every year.

“I envision we may have more. We have 566 municipalities in the state of New Jersey, and I’m sure that municipalities, over 216, may want to have the opportunity to provide this type of service into their communities,” said Holley.

Another Holley amendment would make it easier for those convicted of marijuana possession to have their criminal records expunged.

“Expungements have to happen. I will not support it unless there’s language in there to support expungement. There’s individuals who look like me, and those individuals who do not look like me, that are incarcerated for little, small portions of marijuana,” Holley said.

Gov. Phil Murphy said the same thing this week.

“You can’t incarcerate somebody who did something on Friday, and allow someone who did the same thing on Monday to do it legally,” Murphy said.

Holley’s other amendments would make it easier for small businesses to get a piece of the action and spell out exactly how the tax revenue would be divvied up by the state.

“If in fact we legalize recreational marijuana, right across the street from my office they’re going to put up stores. They want to call them dispensaries, but they’re going to be stores that do retail selling cupcakes with marijuana, candies with marijuana, sex toys and oils with marijuana, lipsticks with marijuana, all those kinds of products that kids can get and people can get,” Rice said.

So the marijuana debate continues. Some see legalization as a progressive reform with many benefits. Others see it as a road to ruin. Take your pick.

 

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New Jersey bill proposes some of the most progressive cannabis laws

New Jersey appears to be moving closer to legalization after a local media source received a copy of a new bill that state lawmakers believe is likely to pass.

If the bill is passed, New Jersey is poised to have some of the most progressive cannabis laws in the country.

An exciting feature of the bill is the call for consumption areas, or smoking lounges. Ideally, a retailer could actually have a space within their facility, separate from the retail area, for customers to consume product. This would require state and local approval.

The bill also proposes a home delivery system so that customers could purchase product online and have it delivered right to their door.


New Jersey could also see some of the lowest cannabis tax rates in the country at just around 10 percent if the bill is passed. Previous versions of a legalization bill in New Jersey have called for a 15 to 20 percent tax rate which is more in line with most of the country.

The bill also specifically calls for a quick rollout of a robust cannabis market. In many states, cannabis has been legalized but then it takes months or even years for any real market to develop thanks to a whole lot of red tape. If the bill passes, it will be seen to that businesses can start right away so that consumers can purchase product.

While the bill does call for a quick rollout, it also calls for a cautious approach to issuing licenses. Care will be taken to ensure a certain percentage of licenses will be granted to business owners from groups that are often marginalized or underserved. Specifically, the bill states that 25 percent of the licenses must be given to minority, veteran and women applicants.

Scott Rudder, head of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association said earlier this week that 98 percent of the issues have been worked out and that the bill is almost complete.

 

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In Atlantic County, the towns of Brigantine and Pleasantville have already passed ordinances banning pot businesses. Towns in Bergen County that have done the same include: Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Lodi, Mahwah, Midland Park, Woodcliff Lake, and Wyckoff Township. Upper Saddle River, also in Bergen County, passed an ordinance opposing cannabis legalization but has not enacted a ban on cannabis businesses.

North Caldwell in Essex County has already said no to recreational cannabis, while in Hudson County, Secaucus, Union City, and Weehawken have as well.

The towns of Cranbury and Old Bridge in Middlesex County have also enacted preemptive bans on marijuana businesses. Spotswood also opposes legalization, but has not outlawed recreational cannabis businesses.

In Monmouth County, the list includes Hazlet, Oceanport, Upper Freehold, Wall, and the town of West Long Branch.

In Morris County, Chatham Township has already passed a ban and Parsippany-Troy Hills passed an ordinance that opposes the legalization of cannabis but does not actually ban commercial businesses.

Ocean County municipalities that have banned pot companies include Barnegat, Berkely, Point Pleasant Beach, and Surf City. In Passaic County, the towns of Clifton, Hawthorne, and North Haledon have all passed similar ordinances.

Manville in Somerset County has also banned marijuana companies from doing businesses in its jurisdiction and the town of Bridgewater has formally opposed the legalization of recreational cannabis in New Jersey.

If you live in one of these towns and want legal cannabis to be sold there, you know what to do at the next elections.


36 New Jersey towns have preemptively banned legal marijuana

Local governments are already banning legal marijuana in their towns.

Even before New Jersey lawmakers have completed drafting a cannabis legalization bill, 36 towns in the state have preemptively banned legal marijuana.

Legislators in the Garden State are currently working on legislation that would legalize the recreational-use and sale of cannabis. Most drafts have included provisions allowing municipalities to ban marijuana businesses, and so far, nearly 40 towns have done so.

In Atlantic County, the towns of Brigantine and Pleasantville have already passed ordinances banning pot businesses. Towns in Bergen County that have done the same include: Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Lodi, Mahwah, Midland Park, Woodcliff Lake, and Wyckoff Township. Upper Saddle River, also in Bergen County, passed an ordinance opposing cannabis legalization but has not enacted a ban on cannabis businesses.

North Caldwell in Essex County has already said no to recreational cannabis, while in Hudson County, Secaucus, Union City, and Weehawken have as well.


The towns of Cranbury and Old Bridge in Middlesex County have also enacted preemptive bans on marijuana businesses. Spotswood also opposes legalization, but has not outlawed recreational cannabis businesses.

In Monmouth County, the list includes Hazlet, Oceanport, Upper Freehold, Wall, and the town of West Long Branch.

In Morris County, Chatham Township has already passed a ban and Parsippany-Troy Hills passed an ordinance that opposes the legalization of cannabis but does not actually ban commercial businesses.

Ocean County municipalities that have banned pot companies include Barnegat, Berkely, Point Pleasant Beach, and Surf City. In Passaic County, the towns of Clifton, Hawthorne, and North Haledon have all passed similar ordinances.

Manville in Somerset County has also banned marijuana companies from doing businesses in its jurisdiction and the town of Bridgewater has formally opposed the legalization of recreational cannabis in New Jersey.

Draft Bill Released Last Week
Last week, a draft of the cannabis legalization bill being written by New Jersey lawmakers was released to the media. In addition to legalizing the use, possession, and sale of cannabis for adults 21 and older, the bill also includes provisions that would make it one of the most progressive in the United States.

The bill specifically calls for relatively low retail taxes of about 10 percent, a rate that is one of the lowest in the country. Lower taxes help fledgling marijuana businesses compete with an already entrenched black market, cannabis advocates argue.

The draft bill also includes the legalization of retail recreational marijuana dispensaries, avoiding the situation in some states that have legalized cannabis but not a legal supply chain to buy it. Home delivery options would also be included in the authorization of retail sales. The bill as written also includes the legalization of cannabis smoking lounges for the public social consumption of marijuana.

The measure also includes several provisions to help even the playing field for parties interested in starting a business in the coming legal New Jersey cannabis market. The bill would set aside 25 percent of licenses for cannabis businesses for women, minority, and veteran applicants. Ten percent more would be for so-called micro-businesses to provide opportunity for small operators.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has called on legislators to finish work on a cannabis legalization bill before the end of the year. The New Jersey Senate may vote on a version of the bill as soon as next month.

 

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There's a big win for medical marijuana patients in the fine print of new bill

Deep in the legislation that lawmakers say will fix the perceived mistakes in the medical marijuana law is a nugget of hope for patients who do not qualify for the program yet.

The leader of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission -- the new entity that would be created by the bill to control the medicinal program and the hypothetical legal market-- would decide which conditions qualify for cannabis.

That power now rests with the state Health Commissioner, advised by a panel of medical experts. Until March, only one condition, post traumatic stress disorder, had been added to the narrow list included in the 2010 law.




Do you qualify for medical marijuana? Here's the new list of illnesses.

Patients enroll first by working with a doctor who must recommend them to the program, then applying for a membership card through the health department.

Gov. Phil Murphy, who took office in January, added two forms of chronic pain, anxiety, Tourette's syndrome and migraines to the list in March. The enrollment has since risen 57 percent to 32,300 participants, according to health department data.

Murphy also granted Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal unilateral authority to add conditions to the list.

Giving that decision-making responsibility to the commission's executive director cuts through the red tape that has bound up the process of expanding the list of conditions during the Christie years, Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, a prime sponsor of the bill.

It could also encourage more doctors to recommend patients to the program, Vitale said. There are just 775 doctors out of the 28,000 licensed in New Jersey who are registered with the program, with 234 joining since March, according to state data.

The amendments to the bill, obtained by NJ Advance Media say:

"The executive director may waive any requirement of (the existing medicinal marijuana law) if the executive director determines that granting the waiver is necessary...to provide access to patients who would not otherwise qualify for the medical use of cannabis to alleviate suffering from a diagnosed medical condition, and does not create a danger to the public health, safety, or welfare."

Ken Wolski, one of the founders of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana of New Jersey and a longtime patient advocate, said this is exactly what patients need.

"It should be up to the physicians, like it is in California, in the privacy of patient interactions," Wolski said.

"To bring it to a single person who could make a decision would be a great -- whether it is head of Department of Health or the executive director of this commission. Let's speed it along," added Wolski, a nurse.

Think of patients who suffer from "orphan diseases," maladies that affect fewer than 200,000 patients worldwide, Wolski said. It's tougher to argue for illnesses not widely known but it's not fair to patients who may otherwise be passed over for cannabis therapy he said.

 

[Baron23]

So, what did patients have to do prior....just guess? Make an offer? Blind auction? What?

New Jersey gives OK for medical marijuana dispensaries to post price info



Medical marijuana patients can now shop products and know how much it’s going to cost due to new changes in the state program’s policies around price transparency. New Jersey’s six operating medical marijuana facilities can now publicly post their product prices on their websites and social media after state officials said that patients in the program should be armed with more information when making purchases. “Medical marijuana patients should benefit from online price information just as shoppers do when they buy a car, a plane ticket or any other consumer goods,” Department of Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said in a statement.

Listing product prices is an option, but not a requirement, and dispensaries can chose what, if any, price information to post on their websites, state officials said.

Since the announcement last week, Breakwater Treatment and Wellness in Cranbury, Curaleaf in Bellmawr and Harmony Foundation in Secaucus have listed prices for different amounts and strains along with their daily menus.

For a quarter ounce of flower bud, prices range from $85-90 at Curaleaf to $85-115 at Breakwater and $120 at Harmony, according to the centers’ websites and posts on Facebook pages.

Compassionate Care Foundation in Egg Harbor Township, Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge and Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair had not listed product prices as of Monday.

Assistant Health Commissioner Jeff Brown, who oversees the state’s Division of Medicinal Marijuana, said the price transparency puts New Jersey patients and dispensaries on par with program participants in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. There are about 33,200 participating patients in the state’s medical marijuana program, according to the state Department of Health.

Of the 16,000 new patients who have joined since January, health officials said a majority have at least one of the five medical conditions added in March, which include anxiety, migraines, Tourette’s syndrome, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders and chronic visceral pain.

In addition to adding more medical conditions, state officials earlier this year made reforms to the medical marijuana program by adding mobile access, opening the doors to satellite locations, making changes to requirements for physicians and reducing program fees.

South Jersey participants have said that while they champion the growth of the state program, the costs of participation still remain high. At the price rates listed by several treatment centers, it would cost between $680 and $960 to buy the maximum purchase amount of two ounces per 30 days.

A majority of health insurance programs currently do not cover medical marijuana consultations and medicine products.

State officials are expected to announce on Nov. 1 which six applications they have selected to get new licenses to build and operate medical marijuana dispensaries in New Jersey. The department received 146 applications by the Aug. 31 deadline.

 

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NJ leaders concede they won't meet their deadline for marijuana legalization vote


The top lawmakers in the Legislature said Monday say they have scrapped a plan to vote on the marijuana legalization bill Oct. 29 because they remain at odds with Gov. Phil Murphy over what the law should say. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester vowed that the vote will occur before the end of the year.

They also stressed that "very few" points of contention are left to hash out with the Murphy administration, and remain optimistic they could reach an accord. The latest delay -- one in a series of soft deadlines lawmakers have bandied about -- does not come as a surprise. Any bill must pass committee hearings in both houses of the state Legislature and no hearings have been scheduled.

But the admission by Coughlin and Sweeney shows how much more work remains for what is a top priority for Sweeney and Murphy since January. "This is a seismic shift in public policy, and the creation of a new industry. We want to make sure we get it right," Coughlin said during an unrelated press conference at the Statehouse in Trenton. "If that takes more time, so be it."

Sweeney, who last month said he was certain Oct. 29 was a likely date for the vote, said picking a target has helped drive the discussions within both houses and the governor's staff.

"If we did not put a date on this, we would be talking about this next October," Sweeney said. "That's why we have been putting so much effort and time into it." Coughlin and Sweeney said they and Murphy remain apart on "very few issues," although they have declined to discuss them publicly.

People familiar with the negotiations say Sweeney and Murphy differ on how much sales tax people should pay for marijuana, with Sweeney insisting more than 12 cents on the dollar would be too steep to make a dent in the illegal market. Murphy privately sought a higher tax rate but publicly he has not revealed his preference.

Both sides also disagree over how much authority a yet-to-be-created independent cannabis commission should have to expand the number of cannabis growers and sellers and other aspects of the new industry. Sweeney wanted to give more power to a full-time independent authority, while Murphy wants the commission to be part-time with the Department of Health holding the most responsibility.

Beyond Monday, Oct. 29, there is one more voting session scheduled this year for both houses, on Dec. 17. But Sweeney and Coughlin could add more voting sessions. Last week, Sweeney said Murphy must take a greater interest in helping secure enough votes to get the bill passed. Murphy said he would do so, once Sweeney sent him a list of lawmakers he should talk to.

"We are basically two guys who share a common objective trying to get it over the goal line," Murphy told NJ Advance Media last week. On Monday, Sweeney said he sent that list to the governor.

 

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New Jerseyans are 'fully on board' with legal weed in new poll. Do you agree?

Payton Guion | NJ Advance Media
While politicians in Trenton continue delaying legalization to legalize marijuana in the state, the people of New Jersey have again said they strongly support legal weed and appear to be coalescing around other areas of marijuana reform.

A Rutgers-Eagleton poll released Tuesday shows that not only do New Jerseyans want legal weed, they also think low-level marijuana convictions should be cleared and that legalization would be good for the economy.

“As marijuana legalization approaches reality in the state, New Jerseyans are fully on board,” said Ashley Koning, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers. “Support has built up slowly in the past five decades, with this being the first time a majority has ever sided with legalization.

"New Jerseyans are now almost three times as likely to support it as they were in 1971," Koning said.

Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media
What's the overall support?
When asked about the legalization of possession and personal use of marijuana, 58 percent of New Jersey residents said they support it, while only 37 percent say they oppose the plan.

These results closely align with a Monmouth University poll from earlier this year that found 60 percent of New Jersey residents support legalization. Both the Rutgers and Monmouth poll showed an increase from a Stockton University poll from April that found only 49 percent of residents supported legalization.


Clearing criminal records
The Rutgers poll went further in measuring the public opinion on marijuana than previous surveys, asking about other planks in the legalization platform, including expungements.

Gov. Phil Murphy has said that clearing low-level marijuana convictions from people's criminal records is a crucial step in marijuana reform, if New Jersey were to pass legalization. The poll shows that New Jersey residents overwhelmingly agree.

Some 79 percent believe individuals penalized for possessing a small amount of marijuana should be allowed to clear their records, should weed become legal.

Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media
Past marijuana use
While this result may fall victim to self-reporting bias, around 50 percent of respondents said they had used marijuana in the past. This lines up with the rest of the country, as a 2017 poll found that 52 percent of Americans admitted to trying marijuana.

Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media
Future marijuana use
Should legal weed come to the Garden State, about a quarter of people said they would try marijuana.

Selling in your backyard?
While the legalization debate has continued in Trenton, dozens of towns have taken the preemptive step of banning marijuana businesses from their borders, should legal weed come to New Jersey. Only a handful of towns have said they want pot shops.

But the Rutgers poll shows that New Jerseyans may be more receptive to having marijuana businesses in their towns than previously thought. Some 64 percent said "they would not be bothered if a store selling marijuana opened in their town."

These numbers are up from a Quinnipiac poll in August that found just 50 percent of New Jersey residents were OK with a pot shop in their town.

Andre Malok
Marijuana or alcohol?
A common talking point in support of legalization for some marijuana advocates is that weed is safer than alcohol.

It appears that New Jerseyans agree. Nearly 50 percent of people said they think marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, while just 12 percent said they believe it to be more harmful.

"These polls show that attitudes towards legalizing cannabis, a healthier alternative to alcohol and many prescription drugs, is what New Jerseyans want to see,” said Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association.

Andre Malok
Economic boost
Some estimates have found that if New Jersey legalized marijuana it could generate more than $1 billion in weed revenue annually, leading to a couple hundred million dollars in taxes, depending on the rate.

Colorado, which has a smaller population than New Jersey, recently reported that it had passed $1 billion in marijuana sales in the first eight months of 2018.

The Rutgers poll found that 64 percent of residents think legalization would be a boon to New Jersey's economy.

Home-grow
If marijuana is legalized, should people in New Jersey be allowed to grow at home? For many pro-marijuana activists, the answer is a hard yes. Lawmakers have looked at it differently and home-grow hasn't been seriously discussed in Trenton this year.

But it appears that residents side more with the activists than the lawmakers, with 60 percent of people saying that there should be home-grow, compared with 33 percent who don't think it should be allowed.

Methodology
Rutgers researchers conducted a statewide poll of 1,006 adults contacted by live callers on landlines and cell phones from Oct. 12 through Oct. 19. The sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points.

 

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New Jersey finally back on track to legalize marijuana

After months of delay and backroom disputes, state lawmakers are expected to finally take action next week on legalizing marijuana for adults over age 21.

And it's getting the fast-track treatment, even though legislative leaders and Gov. Phil Murphy remain at odds over details of the legislation.

Separate Assembly and Senate committees will meet together for a hearing of debate and are expected to vote on the legalization bill (S2703) on Monday, Nov. 26 at 10 a.m., according to sources familiar with the plan.

First pass at legal weed could roll into Statehouse in days, but full vote will require joint effort

The negotiations over the legalization bill have stalled in recent months between Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Murphy, who have disagreed over the tax rate and whether a new commission should exercise control over the new industry.

Sweeney said he and the Democratic governor have not agreed on the bill. But he said he didn't want to wait any longer.

"We have been talking and it's time to move forward," Sweeney told NJ Advance Media Monday night. "Hopefully we can get to agreement with the governor."

Sweeney said he favors imposing a 12 percent tax rate, plus 2 percent for municipalities that are willing to host cannabis-related businesses. He doesn't want to go higher because he fears that it will allow the illegal market to thrive.

Michigan just passed a 10 percent tax rate, Sweeney noted. Michigan's marijuana tax rate is comprised of a 10 percent excise tax and a six percent sales tax, according to published reports.

Murphy -- as well as legislators who supported earlier versions of the legislation -- have sought a 25 percent tax rate. Murphy has declined to say publicly how much he is willing to budge.

A source familiar with Murphy's side of the negotiations said Murphy the state Legislature are at "an impasse."

"They haven't entertained our proposals or sought to meet us in the middle," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, could not be reached for comment Monday night. On his monthly radio program, "Ask the Governor" Monday night, Murphy said he awaits a final version of the bill from lawmakers.

"The legislators have not gotten the bill to us yet," Murphy said. The legislative committees are also expected to act on legislation (S10) that would expand the medicinal marijuana program, according to the most recent legislative calendar.

The number of patients registered with the medicinal marijuana program, 35,700, has more than doubled in the past year.

But the program is still cost-prohibitive for many because New Jersey's cannabis is among the most expensive in the nation, and patients are required to see their doctor every three months to review their qualifications.

The legislation, (S2426) aims to expand the program will allow people to see their doctor once a year to maintain their eligibility. All legislation must be voted on by the full 80-member Assembly and 40-member Senate before it goes to the governor's desk.

 

[Baron23]

* The commission would oversee the new Office of Minority, Disabled Veterans, and Women Cannabis Business Development to promote entrepreneurship from these three communities. The bill sets a goal of 30 percent participation from these "socially and economically disadvantaged communities."
​

An identity group set aside...what a surprise. I guess they just couldn't help themselves. Personally, if that's the price to pay for votes for legalization (and don't kid yourself as to how that clause entered the legislation) then I'm all for it

Here's how N.J. is likely to legalize marijuana under new bill just unveiled by top Democrats
Updated 10:21 AM; Posted Nov 21, 11:46 AM

After months of private negotiations, Democratic leaders of the state Legislature on Wednesday released the most recent version of a blueprint to create a multi-billion-dollar legal marijuana industry in New Jersey and allow low-level criminal arrests and convictions to be expunged.

Hearings are scheduled Monday morning at the Statehouse in Trenton for the 147-page "New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act."

Broadly, the bill would legalize the possession and personal use of one ounce or less of marijuana for people at least 21 years old, and create, regulate and impose a 12 percent tax a commercial marijuana industry in the state. An extra 2 percent excise tax would be raised for towns which host cannabis businesses.

The legislation also creates a framework for an "expedited expungement" process for people who have prior arrests and convictions for possession or distributing up to an ounce of marijuana. Within six months of the law's enactment, the Administrative Office of the Courts must create an electronic filing system for expedited expungements.

A separate bill will offer more details on the expungement process, the sponsors have said.

The legislation is not dramatically different than the latest proposal obtained by NJ Advance Media in September. But some key details have been clarified.

According to the latest version of (S2703):

* Cannabis delivery services would be permitted.

* Dispensaries would be permitted to create "consumption" areas -- public lounges separate from the retail operation, where people could get high. The dispensary would need the local governing body to pass an ordinance permitting the consumption area first, however.

* A Cannabis Regulatory Commission, led by five members appointed between the governor and the Legislature, would oversee nearly every aspect of the industry. The commission would be affiliated with the Department of Treasury but independent. The commission's executive director would be appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate.

* The commission would oversee the new Office of Minority, Disabled Veterans, and Women Cannabis Business Development to promote entrepreneurship from these three communities. The bill sets a goal of 30 percent participation from these "socially and economically disadvantaged communities."

* In addition to licenses for cultivators, processors, wholesalers and retailers, the commission would set aside 10 percent of licenses for "micro-businesses" to give smaller operators an easier chance to enter the market.

* Applicants who apply to be licensed cannabis businesses by the state must sign an agreement they will hire workers represented by labor unions. Exceptions are made for micro-business owners.

* The commission will give preference to applicants whose businesses are located in impact zones, "for which past criminal marijuana enterprises contributed to higher concentrations of law enforcement activity, unemployment, and poverty," according to the bill.

The zone must have a population of 120,000 or more, or it must have a high crime index as measured by the State Police, an annual average unemployment rate of 15 percent and rank in the top 33 percent for marijuana- or hashish-related arrests, the bill said.

On the population criteria alone, only Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Elizabeth would qualify as an impact zone, according to Census data.

The bill also strikes any reference to the word "marijuana" and replaces it with the scientific name of "cannabis" when referencing products sold and regulated on the legal market.




Why the delay on legal weed? Murphy and Sweeney point fingers

There are still too few Senators willing to vote yes to make marijuana sales legal, Senate President Stephen Sweeney said.


The state Senate and Assembly budget committees are scheduled to meet as one body 10 a.m. Monday to debate and vote on the legalization bill.

In addition, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee is scheduled to meet at the same time down the hall to approve two bills (S10) and (S2426) that promise to make the medicinal marijuana law more consumer-friendly and expand the economic reach of the medical market.

The health committee will immediately send the medical legislation to the budget committees, which are expected to approve them.

The next public step is a vote by the full Senate and Assembly in mid-December. Both houses are controlled by Democrats.

But in the weeks between, negotiations will continue in earnest as Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, and legislative leaders must try to come to an agreement on the final language.

On early Thursday morning, Murphy's spokeswoman Alyana Alfaro said the governor "remains committed to legalizing adult-use marijuana, a critical step in eliminating racial disparities in our criminal justice system.

"The Governor is committed to working with the Legislature to legalize adult-use marijuana the right way, one that makes the state fairer, prioritizes the safety of New Jersey residents, and ensures that some of the economic benefits go the communities hardest hit by the war on drugs," Alfaro said.

Murphy and Democrats remain far apart on two major issues in the legislation: the tax rate, and the how much power a new commission created by the legislation will exercise over the new industry.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester; Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex; and the bill's prime sponsor, Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, are adamant about giving the proposed Cannabis Regulatory Commission most of the authority to control the new cannabis market, including the medicinal program. Murphy wants most of the decision-making to remain in the hands of the administration.

Sweeney has also said he will not support a tax rate higher than 12 percent, plus 2 percent for towns willing to host cannabis businesses. Any higher, he said, and people may continue to buy from the illegal market.

But earlier drafts of the bill called for a staggered increasing over five years maxing out at 25 percent, and the governor privately has said 12 percent is too low.

Liza Acevedo, Coughlin's spokeswoman struck an optimistic tone Wednesday about the chances for a compromise.

"Discussions with the governor are ongoing," she said. "The Speaker and Senate President are working together to forge agreement with the administration. The Speaker is confident the bill will pass when it is posted for a vote in the full Assembly."

If the two sides can't agree, legislative leaders could pass the bill and send it to Murphy, allowing him to rewrite portions under a conditional veto.

 

[Baron23]

NJ marijuana legalization activists left wanting more after legal weed vote

TRENTON — They came to the Statehouse wearing marijuana leaves on their clothes, with buttons and T-shirts and fiery testimony about the "failed drug war."

But when legislators cleared the bill to legalize weed in New Jersey — the first real step taken toward marijuana legalization? Many of the state's most ardent and longest-running activists were left wanting more.

"I've been in prison and, for the last 20 years, I've been advocating for the legalization of cannabis," said Ed Forchion, the longtime legal weed advocate known mostly as N.J. Weedman. "But this bill doesn't go far enough."

Forchion was one of just many longtime New Jersey legal weed activists who identified one or more missing pieces in the legislation approved by the Senate and Assembly budget committees on Monday.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari smiles as he stands near Sen. Stephen Sweeney (left) as he realizes that they have enough votes to pass the bill out of committee that could legalize recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and over. Monday, November 26, 2018 Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com
For Forchion, 54, it was the fear that those convicted of illegally selling marijuana wouldn't be able to legally sell marijuana. Forchion was convicted and served time in prison for intent to distribute marijuana.

"We all know who's getting the licenses, and it's not people like me — who have sold marijuana. We're not going anywhere, so what are you going to do with us," Forchion said. "I don't want to get arrested again. I don't want to go to jail again. But the day you pass this bill, I will be emboldened to sell marijuana (on the black market) — just like the white guys."

One of the biggest sticking points throughout the marijuana legalization talks has been "home grow," a provision allowing marijuana users or patients to grow cannabis plants at home.

For Jo Anne Zito, it's a line in the sand. A family member — she declined to identify their relationship — was arrested on charges of growing one marijuana plant, she said.

“He would qualify as a patient today, but he didn’t then. And even now, the punishment isn’t changing,” said Zito, 44. “People have died waiting for this and it’s not right. If they really care about medicine and saving lives, they’re not doing a pretty good job of showing it."

Ed Forchion, also known as 'NJ Weedman,' sells and smokes marijuana outside the Statehouse and avoids being arrested. Thomas P. Costello, USA Today Network New Jersey

Home grow long been one of the biggest sticking points for marijuana legalization activists. If the legal weed bill becomes law as written, New Jersey would be only the second state in the country — alongside Washington — to legalize marijuana but deny users permission to grow their own.

Of the 29 states with medical marijuana, all but 10 allow patients to grow their own cannabis — in many cases, with higher limits than proscribed for recreational users.

“This is hurtful for patients," Zito said. "They’ve been waiting eight years, nine years for a medical marijuana expansion — this is just hurtful.”

Even the ACLU of New Jersey, while applauding the passage of marijuana legalization bills in committee, noted that one major group was left out: Those currently in prison — or serving parole or probation — on marijuana charges.

The ACLU has called for those sentences to be "terminated" and for the state to eliminate marijuana consumption as a parole or probation violation.

Dianna Houenou, of ACLU-NJ, testifies at a joint legislative committee. Houenou says the ACLU is for the legalization of marijuana but admits some changes in the bill may be called for. Monday, November 26, 2018 (Photo: Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

Speaking before the budget committees on Monday, ACLU of New Jersey senior policy counsel Dianna Houenou chided the Legislature for making decisions on legal weed legislation behind closed doors.

A bill to dramatically alter the expungement process wasn't introduced until Black Friday, three days before the committee hearings. That expungement bill cleared committee by a 9 to 3 vote, with one abstention.

"The urgency of passing legislation is not lost on us and it is palpable," said Dianna Houenou, ACLU New Jersey senior policy counsel. "But we need not, and must not, rush legislation at the expense of transparency.

 

[Baron23]

Guadagno lost the last gubernatorial election in NJ to Murphy.

But let's look at it:

1. She ran on a ticket with Chris Christie
2. She thinks NJ should legalize prostitution because its a "victimless crime", would generate "tax revenue", "it’s between two consenting adults" (guess she hasn't heard of human trafficking".
3. She does not support cannabis legalization even though its a "victimless crime", would generate "tax revenue", "it’s between two consenting adults" (without any human trafficking).


Former NJ Lt. Governor opposes weed legalization by comparing it to sex work

New Jersey’s Republican former lieutenant governor Kim Guadagno unwittingly made a good case for the legalization of sex work while attempting to trash the state’s proposed recreational cannabis bill.

“If they need revenue that badly let’s legalize a victimless crime and tax it up the wazoo,” she told 101.5 FM host Bill Spadea on Tuesday. “What do I mean by that? Let’s legalize prostitution. It’s better for women because they’ll get good medical care, it will cut out the middleman — if you know what I mean — and it’s between two consenting adults.”

“I know it sounds outrageous,” she continued. “But that’s what it sounds like to legalize pot to me.” Guadagno went on to question the state’s revenue estimates should it legalize recreational marijuana, and capped it all with a dig at the ten US states and federal district who have already made the switch. “Look at the states where it’s already been legalized and ask yourself the question; is this New Jersey?” she pleaded.

Guadagno’s rhetoric could have been a win for sex worker advocates and allies, who have long held that legalization and regulation of the sex trade would make its workers safer. Unfortunately, they were actually the product of a conservative cannabis scare tactic that failed hit its mark. And possibly, of Guadagno’s lasting rancor against marginally pro-pot current governor Phil Murphy, who defeated her in last year’s gubernatorial election. Guadagno immediately trotted back her comments to New Jersey blog More Monmouth Musings. “From both a revenue and social justice point of view, it makes more sense to legalize prostitution than marijuana, but I’m not advocating either.”

New Jersey’s cannabis legalization movement has encountered a large amount of reactionary blowback. State bill S2703, aka the “Marijuana Legalization Act”, was the subject of intense public debate leading up to this week’s State Senate and Assembly votes to advance the proposal out of committee. Governor Murphy has shown only tepid support for the legislation, despite having bested Guadagno thanks in part to his platform of support for cannabis decriminalization. Even staunch marijuana legalization advocates say that S2703 would not do enough to rectify the harmful racial disparity perpetuated by the current War on Drugs.

The confusing comments made by Guadagno have led the state’s conservative media to spend the day debating the relative merits of sex work and marijuana. But actual proponents of decriminalizing the sex industry argue that consensual sex work is a victimless crime, that it would be vastly safer for sex workers if their jobs were located in a regulated industry, and yes, the state could indeed “tax it up the wazoo.”

Though some prominent feminists continue to diminish the agency of sex workers, there has been progress made in shifting widely-held misconceptions about their job. This fall one of Canada’s best-known women’s organizations, the Fédération des femmes du Québec, announced that it now recognizes that some women do perform sex work of their own accord.

Surely Guadagno’s jumbled musings will soon be forgotten. But her comments did suggest an interesting parallel between the movements to remove prohibition laws from two of society’s most demonized, yet victimless, activities of choice.

 

[Baron23]

Before I die, I would love to see one....just one...fucking politician for whom it wasn't ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!

By the by, WA may have a very high tax rate, but there product is also dirt cheap....which I doubt will happen in the socialist state of NJ's highly regulated planned program.

And why no home grow....well, the state government won't get their vig on home grow don't cha' know and it is ALL ABOUT THE MONEY (money lenders in Solomon's Temple, anyone? LOL)

Murphy balks at 10% marijuana tax rate

HIGH TAX STATE — Lawmakers wants 10 percent tax on legal pot, but that’s too low for Murphy, by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton and Katherine Landergan: New Jersey lawmakers wand to impose a 10-percent tax on recreational marijuana, one of the lowest rates in the nation but well below the 25 percent proposed by Gov. Phil Murphy, four sources who have reviewed current drafts of a legalization bill told POLITICO. Under the bill’s framework, the tax rate under consideration would be three-quarters of a percentage point less than the 10.75 percent rate in Massachusetts and less than a third the 37 percent tax rate levied in Washington state. “The bill has 10 percent. That makes zero sense to me,“ one senior administration official said. “All along, we’ve been talking to them about a tax rate in the 25 percent range … Pro-legalization advocates in the Legislature and administration agree that setting too high a tax would allow the state's black market to continue to thrive.” Read the report

THE GARDEN VAPE — “Good news, N.J. medical marijuana users: You can now buy vape cartridges,” by NJ Advance Media’s Payton Guion: “Medical marijuana patients in New Jersey will now be able to buy a product that previously hasn't been allowed in dispensaries in the state: Vaporizer cartridges filled with marijuana concentrate. The state Department of Health last week waived the rule that restricted the six medical marijuana providers in New Jersey from selling the cartridges. The Department has already received requests for permission from two providers to start producing and selling those products. Curaleaf New Jersey, the Bellmawr-based dispensary, will start selling its cartridges on Friday, the company said.” Read the report

N.J. lawmakers won’t vote on legal weed this year
State lawmakers won’t vote on a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey before the end of the year, the state’s top legislator confirmed to NJ Advance Media on Thursday.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said the bill won’t be on the docket Monday when the state Legislature gathers for its final voting session of 2018.

Sweeney and New Jersey’s other leading lawmaker, state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, were holding out slim hopes of reaching a compromise during a high-stakes policy meeting with Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday.

But while Sweeney said they made some progress on the matter, they still don’t have a deal.

“We really had our first significant conversation today on it," Sweeney said. “I wouldn’t classify anything today as negative. We had a pretty healthy conversation.”

That means the issue — one of the most-watched and most-debated in New Jersey — will stretch into next year, even though Murphy had called on lawmakers to vote by the end of 2018.

Sweeney and Coughlin told reporters after the meeting that much of the conversation with Murphy, a fellow Democrat, was about a proposal to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.

“The minimum wage piece, I’m optimistic about,” Sweeney said. “Hopefully, we’ll get to the same place about marijuana.”

One of the biggest holdups is how much the state would tax legal pot. Murphy and lawmakers remained far apart on what the rate should be after Thursday’s meeting, according to a legislative source familiar with the talks. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak publicly about the private meeting.

Murphy campaigned on legalizing marijuana, both to improve social justice in the state and raise tax revenue. Sweeney and Coughlin are also in favor of legal pot.

After months of disagreements and debate among lawmakers, a marijuana bill passed out of a joint state Senate and Assembly committee last month.

But Murphy, Sweeney, and Coughlin have not reached an agreement on final details. Both houses of the Democrat-controlled Legislature need to pass the bill and Murphy needs to sign it for the measure to become law.

Progress has slowed by the sometimes strained relationship between the governor and lawmakers. Thursday was the first time Murphy met with Sweeney and Coughlin since October.


You Want Snacks With That? New Jersey Bill Considers Marijuana Delivery
Though the effort to legalize marijuana has been mired in political gridlock, the legislation does provides a road map for how legalized marijuana would be regulated and distributed.


Door-to-door marijuana delivery? Marijuana cafes?

Maybe.

New Jersey is inching toward becoming the 11th state to legalize marijuana for recreational use, though a vote this year on a bill to make the drug legal is nearly impossible.

The final day of voting in the State Legislature this year is Monday, and it appears the bill has become mired in Trenton gridlock, with Gov. Philip D. Murphy and Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president, struggling to round up enough votes to pass it.

Still, the legislation will likely form the backbone of how New Jersey moves forward to legalize recreational marijuana.

groundbreaking companion bill that would clear the criminal records of many people with drug offenses has captured headlines, the rest of the 152-page bill is a compendium of various measures from other states that have legalized the drug.

Here’s a look at some of the notable proposals in New Jersey’s bill.

Marijuana right to your door
What this means: Door-to-door cannabis delivery, like Domino’s pizza, but with strict rules and menu items like Blueberry Kush and Sour Diesel.

The fine print: Despite the tangled and often congested mess of highways in New Jersey, not everyone owns a car.

So to make the drug available to more people, the bill would allow delivery. But ordering marijuana requires a lot more paperwork than ordering two pepperoni pies.

Customers must have documentation proving that they are 21, the legal age the bill would set to buy cannabis products.

To offer delivery, retailers would have to be approved by the state, vehicles would have to have working GPS systems, and every delivery would have to be tracked and meticulously logged.

Drivers could not deviate from their delivery routes except to get gas, to rest or if roads are closed. Cars could not have any markings indicating they are being used to deliver marijuana.

Where it started: California allows cannabis delivery, but it is heavily regulated. Cars must also be equipped with interior cameras to monitor deliveries.

“Cannabis Consumption Areas,” a.k.a. marijuana lounges
What this means: Like marijuana cafes in Amsterdam, people would be able to buy in one room and smoke in another.

The fine print: In every state where recreational marijuana is legal, public consumption remains against the law. Instead, people are supposed to consume marijuana in their homes.

With an eye toward neighborliness, New Jersey plans to ban the use of marijuana in large multifamily homes, high-density apartment buildings and public housing.

So to make it more accessible, the bill proposes allowing marijuana dispensaries to set up sections of their business, separate from the retail area, where customers could take what they bought and enjoy it.

Who started it: The first state to propose consumption areas was Alaska, which is still debating the idea even though it has legalized marijuana. For now, Nevada is the only state that permits cannabis lounges statewide. Some counties and cities in California and Colorado have also begun allowing similar operations.

Promoting “micro-businesses”
What this means: It’s a way to encourage mom-and-pop shops.

The fine print: Cannabis is a multibillion dollar industry in the United States and several large corporations are eagerly anticipating the opening of the New Jersey retail market, especially because it is so close to New York City and Philadelphia.

But to promote small businesses, the bill mandates that 10 percent of licenses be given to shops that have no more than 10 workers in a space smaller than 2,500 square feet and that process less than 1,000 pounds of cannabis every month.

Where it started: A ballot initiative approved in Michigan that makes recreational marijuana legal also contains a specific carve out for small businesses.

Promoting minority-owned businesses
What this means: It’s an attempt to diversify an overwhelmingly white industry.

The fine print: Though reliable national data remains scarce, numerous industry surveys have found that minorities represent a small percentage of owners of cannabis companies.

New Jersey’s proposed law seeks to address the imbalance in two ways.

First, it creates “impact zones,” defined as a city that has a population greater than 120,000 (only Newark, Elizabeth, Paterson or Jersey City meet this criteria); or a municipality with a high crime rate, an average unemployment rate of 15 percent or higher; or a town that ranks in the top third in the state for marijuana-related arrests.

These communities would be given priority for retail licenses.

The bill also requires that 25 percent of licenses be held by women, minorities or veterans.

But some in the industry said establishing percentages may not be the best way to achieve diversity.

“Generally, I get a little bit wary of quota systems,” Mr. Fox said. “It seems to me that a much better way to address these issues is to just lower the barriers of entry as much as possible and not have things like arbitrary license caps or other forms of hyper-restrictive licensing.”

Where it started: New Jersey would be the first state to set aside a specific number of licenses for minorities.

No growing cannabis in your backyard
What this means: If you want marijuana you will have to pay for it.

The fine print: Most states that have legalized cannabis also permit residents to grow a few plants at home for personal use, much like a home vintner crushing wine grapes and aging them in their basement.

New Jersey, however, will not allow any backyard cultivation, much to the chagrin of many advocacy groups and industry watchdogs that say prohibiting homegrown marijuana makes the drug out of reach to low-income residents. It is much cheaper to grow a few plants than to buy regularly from a dispensary.

Where it started: Washington is the only other state that has legalized marijuana where home cultivation is not legal.