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Law New Jersey

Good. Let the people vote. The politicians are too busy covering their ass.


New Jersey marijuana legalization bill dead; lawmakers will let voters decide



TRENTON — For the second time this year, top Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey pulled the plug on legislation to legalize cannabis sales for recreational use, killing any likelihood Gov. Phil Murphy will deliver on a key campaign promise before 2021.


Instead, legislative leaders introduced a resolution Monday that would put a recreational use question on the November 2020 ballot. The resolution would need to pass both houses of the state Legislature by three-fifths majorities in one year or by simple majorities in consecutive years to make it onto the ballot.


“We made further attempts to generate additional support in the Senate to get this done legislatively, but we recognize that the votes just aren’t there. We respect the positions taken by legislators on what is an issue of conscience," Senate President Steve Sweeney said in a joint statement with Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), who had been the lead sponsor of the cannabis legalization bill, NJ S2703 (18R), in the upper house.


While senior lawmakers had telegraphed the possibility that they’d move forward with cannabis legalization through a referendum, Monday’s announcement came less than three hours after Scutari held a press conference with Assemblyman Jamel Holley (D-Union) and pro-cannabis groups to demand action on the recreational use bill.


The Statehouse press conference, which included almost a dozen faith, activist, business and labor organizations, was intended to inject new vigor into lobbying efforts for recreational use — which Sweeney said lawmakers would consider in the lame duck session.


“The time is now for action,” Scutari said, citing 2017 arrest data showing stark racial disparities in marijuana arrests. “We’re close. We’re closer than we’ve ever been before. Action is needed now. I can tell you that we are discussing this at the highest levels of the Statehouse.”


However close they may have been, it wasn’t close enough. Shortly after Scutari‘s press conference ended, the Senate Majority Office released his joint statement with Sweeney, saying the time for immediate action had drawn to a close.


Scutari said in an interview he thought he and Sweeney had between 18 and 20 "yes" votes in the Senate in support of his legislation at the time the bill was pulled. They would need 21 “yes“ votes for passage. The window for passage narrowed significantly on Friday when Sen. Declan O’Scanlon said he wouldn’t back a recreational use bill during the current legislative session.


Even without the Monmouth County Republican, lawmakers, activists and administration officials still believed there was time to whip the necessary votes in the upper house, sources told POLITICO. The deadline for submitting a resolution for a ballot initiative doesn’t fall until December, according to one administration official, a period Murphy and Sweeney could have used to drive support among reluctant Democrats.


Those efforts likely would have been unsuccessful, Scutari said.


“We couldn’t wait any longer. We tried to get as many votes as we could, with everything going on with lame duck, I’m not sure we could get people nailed down,” Scutari told POLITICO. “This is the safest way to go.”


Separately, a second administration official said that as soon as it became clear voters could have an opportunity to decide the issue, the prospects of convincing lawmakers to pass a recreational use bill became much more difficult.


“It is a very personal issue and they think about it in different ways. Once you start talking about a referendum in a real way, it’s hard to get folks on that razor’s edge to go the other way [and vote ‘yes’],” the official said.


Murphy, who campaigned heavily on a pro-cannabis platform in 2017, was disappointed by the announcement, but said in a statement he has “faith that the people of New Jersey will put us on the right side of history when they vote next November.“


“By approving this ballot measure before the end of this legislative session, New Jersey will move one step closer to righting a historical wrong and achieving what I have spent more than three years advocating for,” the governor said.


Several polls released over the last two years suggest a solid majority of New Jersey residents support marijuana legalization. Even so, NJ RAMP —an affiliate of the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana — has already said it plans to fight the measure at the ballot box.


Should voters approve the referendum, it would be up to the Legislature to take action to grant oversight of the adult use industry to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which was previously established through medical marijuana legislation passed earlier this year.


“We fell some votes short in the Senate [but] the campaign still continues,” said Holley, who’d been a primary sponsor of the recreational use bill in the Assembly. “I’ll continue to advocate and raise the issues I’ve raised since day one about the harms this has done to minority communities.”


Monday’s announcement marks the conclusion of a long odyssey for the Democrat’s recreational use bill, which was originally scheduled for a vote in March after months of protracted negotiations between Murphy, Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.


That vote was scuttled after Sweeney and Murphy failed to whip up the necessary 21 votes in the upper house. A majority of Assembly members supported the bill.


Two months later, amid an escalating feud between Murphy and South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross over tax incentives, Sweeney said there wasn’t a viable path forward for the bill’s passage, laying some blame on the administration’s efforts to unilaterally expand New Jersey’s medical marijuana program.


Sweeney reversed course several months later, saying he’d like to give the legislation another shot with some technical revisions to accommodate regulatory changes established through the state’s new medical marijuana law, NJ A20 (18R), along with criminal justice reforms that have since been included in subsequent legislation.


Both bills had previously been linked to the fate of recreational use legislation.
 
So, while a goodly portion of the resistance in the NJ legislature has come from black representatives....and religious leaders in those communities.....reflecting their fears of drugs from epidemics like crack and heroin.....the cold fact is while they dither around, their constituents and congregants are being arrested for MJ at record rates.

What part of this are they just not getting????

New Jersey marijuana arrests have increase 35% in four years

Arrests related to marijuana increased by around 35% over a four year period ending in 2017, the last year where data is available. This is according to a report released Friday by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.

The report is based on FBI crime figures, which show that there was around 38,000 arrests for cannabis possession, distribution or both in 2017, up from about 28,000 in 2013, reports the AP. The publication also found that black peopel are three times as likely to get arrested on marijuana-related charges than white people.
The ACLU-NJ, which released the report, is advocating recreational marijuana legalization in New Jersey. The main driver of its push, according to executive director Amol Sinha, is the racial aspect of marijuana prohibition.


“The fact that communities of color are disproportionately harmed … has created a civil rights crisis,” Sinha said.

Advocates, including the ACLU, want the Legislature to take up legalization during the current lame duck session, states the AP. The alternative is a ballot question, which Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney has said he would put on the docket for next year.

Sinha said Friday that legislation is better than an election because lawmakers would still have to pass measures to specify recreational legalization even if a ballot question succeeds.
 
N.J. medical marijuana prices could be cut under new plan. They’re now highest in nation.

Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration will help lower the cost of medical marijuana by requiring for-profit companies entering the market to show how they will cut prices before the the Health Department allows them to operate.

With premium dried weed costing as much as $500 an ounce and no insurance company willing to cover the expense, many of the state’s 60,000 registered patients struggle to pay for their medicine every month.

In an email sent Tuesday to New Jersey’s six nonprofit alternative treatment centers — the formal name for licensed growers and retailers in New Jersey — Assistant Health Commissioner Jeff Brown explained that if they apply to change their status to a for-profit venture, they’ll need to submit a plan explaining how they will cut costs and expedite the opening of new dispensaries.

“We want to see them accountable to what they pledge to do with these plans,” Brown told NJ Advance Media.

In July, Murphy signed a law that allowed medical marijuana providers to voluntarily switch from operating as a nonprofit to a for-profit. The nonprofit owners asked for the amendment because they have struggled to find investments and were forced to pay exorbitant interest rates on loans. Marijuana possession and distribution remains a federal crime, despite state law permitting it.

The six nonprofit operators must submit a “price-reduction plan,” a “mobilization plan” for every satellite location of the original six intends to open “quickly.” The principals in the new for-profit must also undergo a background check, according to the memo.

The department performed a cost analysis in its latest biennial report and found bud prices varied from $360 to $500 an ounce. There are seven retail dispensary locations operating across the state, serving a patient base that increases by about 2,000 a month.

On the black market, the average price of an ounce of marijuana is $298 for “medium quality” and $343 for “high quality,” according to priceofweed.com.
State Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, also recently said he’s drafting a bill that would enable state-funded programs to pick up some of the tab.
Prices are depressing sales, according to the report. Patients on average are buying a half-ounce every month, far less than the 2-ounce limit allowed at the time, the report said.

“For a patient in New Jersey, buying an ounce of whole flower per month without a discount could cost as much as $6,000 per year,” according to the report.
Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration in December granted permits for six new grower and retailers to join the market, but none has opened shop yet, citing issues with acquiring local approvals and securing financial backing.

On Monday, Compassionate Care Foundation in Egg Harbor took the first step in the process of becoming a for-profit by announcing its managing partner, Acreage Holdings, a national company, intends to acquire the business.
 
It would appear that these NJ politicians couldn't find their own ass....even if they used both hands.

Every day, a new plan...sigh.

With legal weed on hold, New Jersey leaders now discussing decriminalizing pot

Now that legal marijuana is on hold in New Jersey, state leaders are privately discussing a plan to decriminalize marijuana in the meantime and put an end to arrests for pot possession, NJ Advance Media has learned.


Three sources familiar with the issue said lawmakers are in talks about whether to move forward with a bill that would treat pot possession like a traffic violation in the Garden State — meaning you’d get a fine instead of jail time.


The sources spoke on the condition on anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.


A bill that includes provisions for decriminalization was approved by a state Assembly committee in May. But state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said at the time he was still skeptical about decriminalizing the drug without legalizing it, and the measure languished.


Talks about decriminalization, however, have been revived after Sweeney and other top lawmakers announced last week they were dropping their latest push for lawmakers to pass a bill that would legalize weed in the state and instead move forward with a plan to ask voters to decide in referendum next November.


Sources stressed Monday that discussions about decriminalization are tentative. One legislative source said Monday he had “no idea” if decriminalization would pass.


“This one’s really been a moving target,” the source said.


Many supporters of legal marijuana warn that thousands of people will continue to be jailed for months until voters cast their ballots.


Police in New Jersey arrest more people for marijuana possession than every state except Texas and New York, according to FBI arrest data. And black people are arrested at a rate three times higher than white people, although people of both races use marijuana at similar rates.


Gov. Phil Murphy made legalizing weed in New Jersey a major campaign promise and has long said he prefers lawmakers to pass a bill instead of leaving it up to voters.


Murphy, a Democrat, was initially wary of decriminalizing weed in the meantime, worrying it may boost the black market with no legal system in place.


But his stance began to shift in July, as he spoke of the high rates of arrest that disproportionately impact people of color.


“I’m not gonna say hell no to anything right now,” Murphy said in July. “We’ve got to do something I’m not a fan of it historically because we leave the business in the hands of the wrong people.”


Sweeney, the state Senate president, expressed similar concerns to Murphy, saying it wouldn’t deter the black market. But he told NJ Advance Media last month he has told other lawmakers he’s “willing to look at it.”


Sweeney did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday.


For decriminalization to become legal, both the state Senate and Assembly would have to pass a bill and Murphy would have to sign it into law.


With lawmakers turning to a voter referendum on legalizing pot, Murphy said last week he would refocus his attention on expunging the records of people arrested for marijuana possession in New Jersey. But he did not provide details.


So far, attempts to pass expungement reform have stalled. In September, the state Senate did not vote on the governor’s changes to its expungement legislation and instead introduced a new bill.


Sweeney said the bill would move straight to the floor the next time the state Senate convenes. In keeping with Murphy’s recommendations, it would establish “clean slate” expungement, rendering certain convictions inaccessible after a 10-year period. It also would overhaul the application process to make all expungements more accessible.


Earlier on Monday afternoon, a group of about 50 people led by Ed Forchion, also known as NJ Weedman, appeared at the Statehouse in Trenton, chanting for legalization and the ability to grow weed at home. They held signs that called for “Expungements for all, home grow for all.”


Forchion said he did not like the legalization bill, as it would overlook the existing illegal industry, in which he operates, in favor of big corporations. And the expungement bill, he said, did not go far enough in its scope to clear convictions for larger amounts of marijuana possession or dealing.


“Why not legalize us? Why not legalize the existing market?" he said. “Even if you call it decrim, I don’t care.”
 
And around and around we go.


NJ Lawmakers Considering Referendum To Legalize Cannabis

New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday scheduled hearings on a proposal to let voters decide in 2020 whether to legalize recreational marijuana.
Democrat-led Assembly and Senate committees set hearings on the proposed referendum.

Lawmakers failed in March to advance legislation legalizing recreational cannabis, despite support from Democratic leaders and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, so they plan to seek support from voters.

The proposed amendment must pass with a three-fifths majority in both houses in a single year, or with a simple majority in two consecutive years in order to appear on the ballot.

Under the amendments, voters are being asked whether to approve recreational marijuana for those 21 and older. All sales of cannabis products would be subject to the 6.625% sales tax. Towns could also pass ordinances to charge a local tax as well.
 
Well, they at least are finally bring rec MJ to some sort of vote....now, its a referendum.

I expect this to pass easily based on polling figures for NJ residents.

But, as we have seen in FL and elsewhere, the key is in the exact wording of the referendum and the extent that this wording will prevent recalcitrant legislators from trying to hamstring the program via subsequent legislation.


It's official: New Jersey voters to decide on marijuana legalization


New Jersey voters will decide next year whether to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use.

Super-majorities in the state Senate and Assembly on Monday approved putting on the November 2020 ballot a question that if approved would make cannabis use legal in the Garden State for anyone over age 21.

In the Senate, it was passed by 24-16, exactly the number of votes required to constitute a three-fifths super-majority. The Assembly voted 49-23 with one abstention.
“We support any move beyond prohibition,” said Charlana McKeithen, executive director of Garden State NORML, part of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. “Now marijuana consumers and anyone who supports reform can cast a vote for freedom.”

The measure needs approval by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy to go before the voters. Murphy ran on a platform that included legalizing marijuana.
“I’m pleased, but somewhat surprised” by the vote, said Scott Rudder, a former Republican assemblyman who is now president of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association. "We’ve had 82 years of cannabis prohibition, so this was necessarily going to take time. We hoped it would get done through legislative process. That wasn’t in the cards.

“Now, we have a significant majority in both the Assembly and Senate. All polling has suggested that this is overwhelmingly supported by voters, so we expect a positive outcome in 2020. But remember, there are those that are opposed to it and will spend a lot of money to try to defeat it.”
Rudder said the CannaBusiness Association and advocates would promote their views on legalization aggressively to ensure a victory. “We’re not going to take anything for granted,” he said.

In recent polls, 60% of New Jersey’s voters indicated they favored legalizing cannabis for recreational use. If approved by the voters, New Jersey would become the 11th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize recreational marijuana.

One of those who will likely work to defeat the measure was Robert Zlotnick, executive director of Atlantic Prevention Resources and an outgoing member of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

“I don’t think the voters have any more knowledge about this area than the Legislature does,” Zlotnick said. "I don’t think what they’re doing is in the best interest of the citizens.

"The voters ‘aren’t going to get their taste,’ as Tony Soprano might say. They’re selling this as a social justice issue, but that’s bull,” Zlotnick said. “They’re doing what will make the most money for the most politically connected people.”

If voters approve the referendum question, anyone over 21 would be able to use cannabis in New Jersey. A regulatory commission would oversee sales. Purchases would be subject to the state’s sales tax, and host towns would be able to set their own levies of up to 2%.

“The Senate and Assembly just agreed to amend the constitution to allow marijuana sales — but that day could be pretty far off,” said Chris Goldstein, a South Jersey organizer for NORML. “Even after voters get a say, it could be years until regulated sales take place. I just hope it doesn’t take years for police to stop arresting consumers.”

In March, a plan to legalize marijuana through legislation fell apart, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) pulled the bill after realizing it was short of the 21 votes needed to pass the upper chamber.

“Legalization is a significant step in public policy that will have a real-life impact on social justice, law enforcement, and the lives of people in communities throughout New Jersey,” Sweeney said in a statement issued after the Monday vote.

“With the public’s approval, we will be able to move forward to correct social and legal injustices that have had a discriminatory impact on communities of color at the same time marijuana is regulated and made safe and legal for adults.”
 
Wow, almost makes me want to come out of retirement and go to work....well, not really hahah

This is actually a very important decision, in particular as supported by the NJ Court of Appeals panel and their finding that there is no preemption of Fed law in this case.

Now, I have to ask....why the fuck does almost everybody ever shown in an MJ article pic getting high have dirty finger nails? I ask why.

Doesn't' matter if its a guy or gal, black/white/Asian/martian...it doesn't matter.

I guess they think anybody who uses MJ can't figure out how to clean themselves?

The complete and utter stereotypes used in most media AND vape mang adverts pics just annoy me (which, honestly, ain't that hard to do! haha)


N.J. company must pay for employee’s medical marijuana, appeals court rules

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In a ruling that could have far-reaching effects, an appeals court in New Jersey ruled this week that a contractor must reimburse a former employee for the cost of the medical marijuana that he uses to treat his incessant pain from a work-related injury.

“This is huge. And the significance of this court decision cannot be overstated,” said Steve Schain, a lawyer with the Hoban Law Group, which specializes in cannabis law. “It sets a precedent for other state’s workers’ comp programs and national private health insurers.”

Related stories


Vincent Hager was a 28-year-old laborer in 2001 when a truck delivering concrete dumped its load onto him, according to court documents. The resulting nerve damage, and the spinal surgery Hager underwent to relieve the pain, left him unable to work. His employer, M&K Construction, denied his workers’ compensation claim for 15 years, according to court documents.

Hager became addicted to his opioid painkillers. A doctor suggested that Hager wean himself off oxycodone, OxyContin, and Valium with medical marijuana. It worked, and Hager successfully stopped taking the powerful drugs.

The cost of medical marijuana is not usually covered by insurance. That’s because marijuana is considered a Schedule 1 substance by the federal government. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration maintains that marijuana has no accepted medical use, despite laws in 33 states that allow the drug for selected ailments.

Hager, who uses two ounces of state-approved medical cannabis every 30 days, spends about $616 out-of-pocket a month.

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In 2018, a worker’s compensation judge ruled that Hager had indeed been injured on the job. The judge ordered M&K to reimburse Hager for the cost of medical marijuana and any related expenses. The company balked and appealed.

M&K claimed that the federal Controlled Substances Act preempted New Jersey’s medical marijuana laws. M&K’s lawyers said it would be aiding Hager in the commission of a crime if it reimbursed him for medical marijuana.

“We are not persuaded,” said the unanimous three-judge appellate division panel in its ruling.

“One cannot aid and abet a complete crime,” the appeals court wrote. “M&K is not purchasing or distributing the medical marijuana on behalf of [Hager]; it is only reimbursing him for his legal use of the substance.”

The New Jersey ruling sets a precedent because it marked the first time that a reimbursement case was focused on the Controlled Substances Act, said Jenifer Dana Kaufman, a workers’ compensation lawyer based in Abington. Kaufman has two similar cases pending in Pennsylvania — one in Brookville, Jefferson County, and another in Reading.

“Saying it’s illegal is not enough,” Kaufman said. “The court took issue with whether federal law trumps state law and found if there’s not federal preemption, state law applies.”

There have been courts in other states — Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New Mexico — that ruled that specific injured workers must be reimbursed for their medical marijuana.

The New Jersey case is an important example of the courts “recognizing the consequences of legalizing marijuana.” said Bill Roark, co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Medical Marijuana and Hemp Law Committee.

“On the surface, it’s a small issue,” Roark said. “But the courts have to get into the weeds, no pun intended, to provide clarity for the law and expand patient rights.”
 
New Jersey Lawmakers Considering Bills to Increase Medical Marijuana Protections

Two bills to improve medical marijuana regulations are making their way through Legislature


Lawmakers in New Jersey took steps this week toward enshrining protections for marijuana companies in the state and individuals on workers compensation prescribed to medical cannabis.
Two bills were passed out of the state Assembly committee on financial institutions on Thursday. One measure would establish protections for insurance companies and employees that do business marijuana-related companies to ensure that they will not be held liable from any state or local government for engaging in such business. The bill would also ensure that no insurer is required to engage in business with a marijuana company.
“As we move forward addressing marijuana as a medicine and holding up industries, we have to put in place, first protections for our residents, but also protections for professional businesses that participate in the industry,” said Democratic Assemblyman and sponsor of the bill Joe Danielsen, as quoted by NJ.com.
The other bill would require “workers’ compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for medical marijuana under certain circumstances.”

The legislation “provides that personal injury protection automobile insurance benefits and workers’ compensation benefits must include coverage for costs associated with the medical use of marijuana provided that the insured or the employee is a qualifying patient…and at least one other medication or treatment has been attempted and found to be unsuccessful in treating the debilitating medical condition that qualified the patient for the medical use of marijuana.”
The Next Steps
Both bills, which will now be taken up by the state Senate, are a reflection of the tension that remains between states like New Jersey, where medical marijuana is legal, and the federal government, which continues to list pot as a banned controlled substance.
“I feel very strongly that we have gone in the right direction in New Jersey with medical marijuana,” Democratic Assemblywoman Joann Downey said, as quoted by NJ.com. “I think you’re pretty safe in terms of being able to go ahead and cover these things.”

Former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana on his final day in office in 2010. In December, New Jersey lawmakers passed a measure to put a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana on this year’s ballot.
Voters will decide whether to approve the measure, which if passed, would permit adults aged 21 and older to use marijuana, while imposing the state sales tax rate of 6.6225% to sales of recreational pot.
 
NJ Court Rules Medical Marijuana Patients Cannot Be Fired For Failed Drug Test

New Jersey workers can’t be fired for failing a drug test as a result of using medical marijuana, the state’s highest court ruled on Tuesday.
In a decision that backed an appellate court’s earlier ruling, the New Jersey Supreme Court said that patients approved under the state’s medical marijuana program are indeed protected under the Law Against Discrimination.



The case centered around an employee at a funeral home who was prescribed medical cannabis after being diagnosed with cancer in 2015. According to NJ.com, the plaintiff, Justin Wild, informed his higher-ups of the prescription the following year after he was involved in a car accident, which the suit claims was not his fault.
“Wild sued, arguing that he had been discriminated against,” NJ.com reported. “A Superior Court judge initially dismissed his case, but an appellate court sided with Wild.”
Medical Cannabis and Employment
In its ruling last year, the appellate court said it “would be ironic indeed if the Compassionate Use Act,” the state law permitting medical marijuana use for qualifying patients, “limited the Law Against Discrimination to permit an employer’s termination of a cancer patient’s employment by discriminating without compassion.”
In its affirmation of the appellate court ruling, the state Supreme Court noted on Tuesday that the physician who treated Wild’s injuries from the car accident said “it was clear [plaintiff] was not under the influence of marijuana, and therefore no blood tests were required.” Nevertheless, Wild’s boss, David Feeney, said he would need to complete a drug test before returning to work.
The Supreme Court concurred with the appellate ruling that Wild “has stated a claim sufficient to survive defendants’ motion to dismiss and that there is no conflict between the Compassionate Use Act and the LAD,” and that the “Compassionate Use Act does have an impact on plaintiff’s existing employment rights.”
“In a case such as this, in which plaintiff alleges that the Compassionate Use Act authorized his use of medical marijuana outside the workplace, that Act’s provisions may be harmonized with the law governing LAD disability discrimination claims,” the court said Tuesday.
Former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana on his final day in office in 2010. Last month, New Jersey lawmakers initiated bills aimed at establishing protections for marijuana companies in the state and individuals on workers compensation prescribed to medical cannabis.
 
Poll Shows Strong Support For New Jersey Legalization Ballot Measure

The results of a New Jersey poll released on Thursday show strong support for a November ballot measure that would legalize the recreational use of cannabis in the state. The Monmouth University Poll found that more than six out of 10 Garden State residents were in favor of the ballot question.



If successful, the referendum would amend the New Jersey Constitution to legalize the recreational use of cannabis by adults and allow those 21 and older to purchase small quantities of marijuana from businesses regulated by the state. Lawmakers voted late last year to put the measure on the November ballot after a bid to legalize cannabis failed to pass in the legislature.
The Monmouth poll found that 61% of voters would vote in favor of the ballot question while 34% said they would vote against it. Only 5% said that they had no opinion. The poll of 704 adults was conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute of West Long Branch, New Jersey via telephone on April 16 through April 19. The results include the responses of 635 registered voters and have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Widespread Support for Legalization
Support for legalization was strongest among Democrats, with 74% in favor, while 60% of independents and 40% of Republicans said that they would vote for the measure. The poll also asked respondents how they felt about marijuana legalization and found that 48% said it was a good idea, 30% said it was a bad idea, and 22% said that they had no opinion.
“Support for the marijuana ballot measure is widespread in part because many who have no opinion on whether legalization is a good idea figure they might as well vote for it,” said Patrick Murray, the director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Six out of 10 New Jersey voters, or 62%, said that legalizing cannabis would help the state’s economy, while 21% said it would have no impact and 10% said legalization would harm the economy. Just over a quarter, or 27%, said that they believed legalizing marijuana will lead to an increase in other drug crimes and 22% believe it will actually reduce crimes related to other drugs. Almost half, or 46%, said they don’t believe legalization will have an impact either way on other drug crimes.
Details to Follow
Although the poll showed strong support for legalization, activists worry it might not be palatable to voters when they actually see the ballot question, which is thin on detail and requires the legislature to pass regulations to enact it.“The poll numbers show that there is a lot of work to do to ensure success in November,” said Bill Caruso, a founding member of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform and an attorney who represents various cannabis-related clients.
“The problem is the details of this proposal aren’t defined because the statute hasn’t passed yet. That’s going to be a problem going into the fall to try to explain to the public what will come If legalization happens.”
 
Strange place, NJ is.

New Jersey voters support legalizing recreational cannabis, just not selling it

Momentum to legalize adult-use cannabis in New Jersey has existed before, but the matter will rest in voter ballots this election.
According to a new Monmouth University poll, recreational marijuana has majority support in the state.



State lawmakers have attempted multiple bids to legalize cannabis through the legislature over the past couple of years, but they failed to gather the necessary votes. Instead, they voted late last year to put legalization forward as a ballot question, which has emerged as the primary political vehicle to end prohibition at the state level.
A Monmouth poll released in April found that 61 per cent of respondents would approve the ballot question this November. Another 34 per cent plan to vote ‘No’ while five per cent said they have no opinion. Support is highest among Democrats (74 per cent) and Independents (64 per cent), but Republican voters (40 per cent) aren’t as keen on legal cannabis.
Less than 50 per cent of voters believe allowing the sale of marijuana to adults aged 21 and older through licensed retailers is a good idea. That comes as a surprise as the ballot question with majority approval would accomplish exactly that. But only 30 per cent consider it a bad idea while 22 per cent state they have no opinion.
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Residents may support legalizing marijuana, just so long as stores don’t appear in their backyards.
“Support for the marijuana ballot measure is widespread, in part because many who have no opinion on whether legalization is a good idea figure they might as well vote for it,” Patrick Murray, director of Monmouth’s Polling Institute, said in a statement.
This conflict isn’t anything new in New Jersey. Residents may support legalizing marijuana, just so long as stores don’t appear in their backyards. A 2018 Quinnipiac poll found only 50 per cent of state residents would welcome marijuana stores into their communities, while 45 per cent opposed cannabis sales in their town. More than 50 towns/municipalities have already banned legal cannabis from entering their communities.
 
N.J. lawmakers advance second bill to decriminalize weed

As people across the state and country continue to protest police brutality and mass incarceration that has disproportionately affected the Black community, New Jersey lawmakers have moved a second bill seeking to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The measure, a merger of A1897 and A4269, advanced from the Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee Monday morning. It seeks to reform criminal and civil justice issues by lessening the legal consequences for marijuana possession and broadening awareness of expungement relief.

The bill proposes to regrade offenses for possessing or distributing less than five pounds of marijuana or one pound of hashish. Currently, having between one ounce and five pounds of marijuana results in punishments of three to five years in prison and fines of up to $25,000. Distributing less than one ounce can land someone in jail for up to 18 months and levy a $10,000 fine on them.

Enforcing cannabis possession laws costs the state around $127 million each year, according to the Assembly Majority Office. A recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union found New Jersey police arrest Black people for weed offenses at 3.5 times the rate they arrest white people, despite similar rates of use among both groups.

Even as 61% of New Jersey voters say they would vote yes on a ballot question seeking to spur a legal weed industry in the Garden State, police continue to arrest nearly 100 people a day for marijuana offenses.

The civil unrest around the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have shed a spotlight on police brutality nationally, reigniting debates about the broad powers granted to police and the ways departments enforce laws in communities of color. Those who argue for cannabis reform say decriminalizing marijuana can lead to less interactions between police and Black people, and allow them to avoid drug stops that could turn fatal.

Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, D-Passaic, the bill’s prime sponsor, said current weed penalties have ravaged Black communities, leaving many unable to take out loans, apply for housing or find good paying jobs because of convictions on their records.

“This gives them a good chance to be productive citizens, and it’s also a move in the right direction to give people a clean slate,” he said during the hearing.

Members of the state Senate introduced a broader decriminalization bill earlier this month that would stop arrests for possession of up to a pound of weed, but would not legalize its use. Instead of jail time, though, those found with marijuana would receive first a written warning, and then a $25 fine for subsequent offenses.

Senators have yet to consider the bill in a committee.

The bill in the state Assembly does not go as far, and comes from two measures that initially established varying possession amounts and fines. A1897 called for decriminalizing possession of less than 10 grams of weed and replacing arrests with fines of $150 for a first violation, a $200 fine for a second and $500 for each following offense.

Some of those who testified, and Assemblyman Ryan Peters, R-Burlington, said they had not yet seen the text of the A4269. Peters chose to abstain from the vote, noting he had received the bill less than an hour before the committee meeting began.

A brief summary of A4269 said the bill “provides for certain criminal and civil justice reforms, particularly with respect to legal consequences associated with certain marijuana and hashish offenses as well as broadening awareness of available expungement relief.”

It imposes fines of $50 for up to possession of up to two ounces of marijuana, and levels new, scaled penalties for amounts above that threshold. The committee substitute, made public later Monday, uses the two ounces and $50 fine as the base for decriminalization, rather than the 10 grams outlined in A1897.

Marijuana reform advocates who testified before the committee Monday said they supported the bill as a way to address the disproportionate arrests of Black people. But two, Charlana McKeithen of Garden State NORML and DeVaughn Ward of the Marijuana Policy Project, said they preferred the Senate bill previously introduced for its sweeping reforms.

“It has a more broad social justice position,” McKeithen said, urging lawmakers to amend the Assembly bill to mirror the Senate proposal.

Ward also said the fines in the Assembly bill could harm those found with weed in their possession, particularly those already facing economic hardship as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

“The fines outlined are a tad excessive,” he said. “The fines that are outlined could prevent individuals from making rent, keeping the lights on, putting food on the table.”

A1897 also initially called for some people to enter drug treatment programs. The controversial proposal comes from legislation by Sen. Ron Rice, D-Essex, that marijuana advocates have criticized. That language is absent from the merger.

Still, those who testified said the time for waiting on marijuana reform has run out.

“It’s time for the change we seek,” Assemblywoman Angelia McKnight, D-Hudson, said in a statement. “New Jersey residents are not happy with the status quo and we need to move in a direction of compassion for the communities that have long been targeted by current regulatory criteria. The call for action, for social justice reform, is resounding throughout our nation. And it begins with legislation such as this.”
 
Your NJ medical marijuana is about to get cheaper: Here’s why


The New Jersey sales tax on medical marijuana will be cut to 4% on July 1, down from 6.625%, the first step in a three-year plan to phase out state taxes on medicinal cannabis purchases.
On July 1, 2021, the state sales tax will be reduced even more — to 2%. In 2022, it will be completely erased.
That doesn’t mean medical weed will be completely tax-free: Municipalities are still permitted to levy a 2% “transfer tax” on purchases within their borders, though no town has instituted such a tax yet.
The sales tax phaseout was a key part of last year’s Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act, which also legalized medical marijuana edibles, raised the monthly allowance to 3 ounces per patient and required them to re-certify just once a year.



The law was named after Jake Honig, a 7-year-old from Howell for whom medical marijuana provided the only relief from an inoperable brain tumor. Honig died in 2018.
Activists have decried the policy of instituting any tax on medical marijuana purchases as “criminal,” since over-the-counter and prescription medicines at traditional pharmacies are exempt from New Jersey sales tax.
“How dare we use the term ‘medical’ and charge poor people and working people and families sales tax on something that helps them feel better,” Sen. Robert Singer, R-Ocean, said last year when the bill was up for a vote. He voted for the bill.
Over 77,000 patients are registered with the New Jersey medical marijuana program, but supply issues — and the resulting exorbitant prices, up to $500 for an ounce of medical marijuana — have plagued the program from its inception.
For example, an ounce of “Green Fire OG” currently retails at $440 per ounce at Curaleaf NJ, a dispensary in Bellmawr. With the current sales tax, the patient would pay $29.15 in taxes for a total of $469.15.
After July 1, that tax paid would drop to $17.60 for a total of $457.60.
Only nine medical marijuana dispensaries are currently open statewide, with other pre-approved locations held up in legal battles.
In November, New Jerseyans will vote on a constitutional amendment that would legalize marijuana for recreational purposes and permit recreational dispensaries.
Some legislators hope to pass a bill to decriminalize weed, with a fine of as little as $25 for possession, before then.
 
New Jersey Is Finally Getting Medical Cannabis Delivery


New Jersey medical cannabis companies are developing delivery plans in order to better serve their customers who can’t easily get to dispensaries themselves as the state gears up for the next phase in medical legalization.
Home delivery legalization in New Jersey dates back to before the COVID-19 pandemic made progressive changes to cannabis business necessary. Jake Honig’s law, passed last summer after requests by medical marijuana patients in the state, expanded access to cannabis patients, raised purchase limits, and legalized delivery so that sick patients wouldn’t have to wait in line when they need medicine.



Currently, of the nine medical cannabis companies in the state that are active and in business, four are planning to begin delivering cannabis. Those four companies are waiting to hear back from the Department of Health on whether or not their plans are approved. Many of the companies hoping to develop a legal cannabis business are excited about the range of how far they can deliver and the prospects of the new venture.
“We are, as a group, allowed to deliver anywhere in the state that you have a registered patient,” said Devra Karlebach, CEO of GTI cannabis company. “A lot of it will depend on the demand as well.”
However, some dispensaries are opting not to try and get approved at this time, claiming the program may not really be worth it due to all the current setbacks.
“We do not have immediate plans to implement delivery as we are still assessing the viability of such a program,” said James Froehlich, chief of staff for Breakwater Treatment & Wellness. “Our current focus is on continuing to cultivate enough medicine to meet the needs of the growing patient population in New Jersey and hope to have announcements soon regarding satellite locations which will provide greater patient access.”
Some Factors To Consider
While many are excited about the perks of medical cannabis delivery, there are definitely complications to iron out with the new process. Currently, New Jersey relies mostly on cash-only transactions, which may prove to be a dangerous prospect for delivery drivers. Also, the health department is requiring anyone delivering cannabis to have a GPS tracking system on their vehicles, which may be a turnoff for some who were hoping to get jobs as delivery drivers.
There also aren’t really enough dispensaries to meet the needs of all the patients in the state, and that is going to be an issue when it comes to delivery as well. There are almost 80,000 patients in the state, so there may be too much demand for drivers to keep up with.
Still, while this may be a less-than-perfect system, especially at first, cannabis patients are now able to access the medicine they need without venturing outside the house or waiting in long lines. This could pave the way for a brighter future for cannabis in New Jersey as the industry grows, especially with the possibility of decriminalization on the horizon.
 

New Jersey Governor Plugs Legal Cannabis for Post-Pandemic Recovery

As New Jersey awaits a November ballot initiative on legalization, the state’s governor invoked cannabis as a potential key to post-pandemic economic recovery, as well as an imperative for racial justice. But even if the vote passes, deadlock in the statehouse could still be an obstacle to implementation.


By
Bill Weinberg
Published on July 16, 2020
In a seemingly offhand comment winning much local media attention, New Jersey’s Gov. Phil Murphy plugged legal cannabis as a boost to the state’s struggling economy, hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The words came in an exchange on the July 14 broadcast of the Jim Kerr Rock & Roll Morning Show on New York’s Q104.3 classic rock radio station. Murphy was clearly trying hard to be chipper amid a gloomy economic scenario.

“We still need federal cash assistance direct into the state,” Murphy said. “That’s something that I hope that Congress will get to, sooner than later, that the president will sign. That’s another big slug that we need. We’ll look at revenues that we can potentially raise on our own…”

At that point, co-host Shelli Sonstein broke in, taunting in a sing-song voice over the governor’s sober intonation: “Mary-juanaaa….”

Murphy didn’t skip a beat. “Listen, as you probably know, I’ve been on that from day one,” he said. “The Legislature hasn’t been able to get there yet, but absolutely. That to me is an incredibly smart thing to do.”

He briefly sounded semi-apologetic: “We’re not inventing marijuana, it exists.” But he quickly followed up: “It’s got a huge social justice piece for me. The overwhelming percentage of persons nailed in our criminal justice system are persons of color. It’s a no-brainer in that respect.”

Indeed, as New Jersey’s Advance Media points out, police across the state arrest Black people 3.5 times more often than whites for cannabis offenses, despite the fact that both communities use it at similar rates.

Murphy went on: “It’s a job creator. It’s a tax revenue raiser. It checks a lot of boxes. I hope we’ll get there sooner than later.”

Political Deadlock Still a Threat
After fruitless attempts in the Democratic-controlled Legislature to pass a long-promised legalization bill, lawmakers moved to put the question to the voters last December. A measure approved by both houses, and supported by Murphy, officially places the question on the 2020 ballot.

The New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Amendment would allow use, cultivation and possession by those 21 or over. It does not set quantity limits, however—leaving that up to the enabling legislation, along with an oversight regime for adult-use sales. Given the Legislature’s record of inaction on the cannabis question, this means that even if the ballot measure passes, it could still be many months before legal sales can begin.

After the state legalized medical marijuana in 2010, it was almost three years before the first dispensary was able to open. Today, the state’s nearly 80,000 approved patients rely on just nine dispensaries—or Alternative Treatment Centers, as they are formally known.

“After the state legalized medical marijuana in 2010, it was almost three years before the first dispensary was able to open.”
Polls in the state support full legalization, and a 2016 report from New Jersey Policy Perspective estimated that Trenton could bring in $305 million in sales tax from adult-market cannabis sales.

There are other potential avenues for opening up some breathing space for cannabis in the Garden State. The lower-house Assembly last month voted to pass a bill that would decriminalize possession of up to two ounces—bringing New Jersey in line with New York across the Hudson River, which was one of the first states to decriminalize back in 1977. The Senate has yet to vote on the measure.

Under current New Jersey law, 50 grams (an ounce and change) or less can land you a $1,000 fine or six months in prison.

Home Deliveries Coming
The law creating the commission, signed by Murphy last July, was called the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, named after seven-year-old Jake Honig, of Howell Township, who died the previous January following a battle with brain cancer.

Among its measures aimed at expanding the medical marijuana program was a provision for home delivery—but, once again, the state Health Department never moved to enact this. However, the provision is clearly much more significant a year later, in light of pandemic-related restrictions on movement.

This became especially apparent when hours-long lines backed up at Alternative Treatment Centers in March. Finally, on June 25, the Health Department announced that it had issued regulations allowing for home delivery to begin at four of the nine ATCs.

But once again, there is a catch: Technically, the new regulations constitute a “waiver” from the current administrative code barring home deliveries. This is a work-around measure that does not actually bring the code into conformity with Jake’s Law.

“The Department continues to prioritize patient access during this unprecedented pandemic,” Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said in a statement, reported by Advance Media. “This new waiver will allow ATCs, once they have submitted a plan to the Department for approval, to deliver across the state.”

The four ATCs are listed as Zen Leaf of Elizabeth, Rise Cannabis of Paterson, Harmony Dispensary of Secaucus and Curaleaf of Bellmawr.

But home delivery also has potential complications. Medical marijuana is a cash-only business in New Jersey, and there are concerns that delivery service may mean security risks for drivers.
 
Nearly 7 Out of 10 New Jersey Residents Support Legal Marijuana


The majority of NJ voters across the political spectrum said they’d support legal cannabis, but probably wouldn’t use it.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy suggested earlier this month that legalizing recreational marijuana would be “an incredibly smart thing to do.” According to a new poll, New Jersey residents across the political spectrum agree, with almost 7 out of every 10 registered voters saying they support a November ballot measure to legalize recreational cannabis.



The Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll, which was conducted by DKC Analytics and released Tuesday, showed 68% of registered voters would approve the upcoming initiative. Democrats supported the measure more than any other political base, followed by Independents and Republicans. However, the majority of each political faction would vote yes on the ballot initiative.
Back in April, a Monmouth poll found 61% of respondents would approve recreational marijuana in the state. Brach Eichler, LLC, a New Jersey cannabis-focused law firm that would benefit from legalization, surveyed 500 registered voters that mirrored the 2016 voting electorate for the poll.
“The polling results confirmed our belief that there is overwhelming support for the creation of a regulated, adult-use cannabis marketplace in New Jersey,” John D. Fanburg, co-chair of Cannabis Law at Brach Eichler, told The Fresh Toast in a statement. “Respondents supported it because it will create tremendous opportunity. It will create vitally needed new businesses, the state will receive significant tax revenues and illegal sales will be dramatically reduced, if not eliminated.
“Voters see this as a win for everyone,” he added.
Why NJ Marijuana Advocates Should Be 'Cautiously Optimistic' Ahead Of Election
This doesn’t mean all those voters will participate in a new legal marijuana market. The majority of respondents (57%) were not cannabis users and only 17% admitted to currently consuming the plant. Only 9% said they’d experiment with marijuana should it be legalized in the state.
Social justice was a strong component among respondents, as 68% stated all low-level marijuana criminal charges should be expunged. In addition, only 7% believe major dealers and distributors should suffer legal punishment.
According to the other co-chair of Cannabis Law at Brach Eichler, Charles X. Gormally, “The strong level of support for correcting this decades-old inequality, especially in the context of recent protests of inherent bias in law enforcement, should be well noted by our legislators who will be tasked with correcting this unfortunate consequence of the failed policy of prohibition.”
 
New Jersey Now Allows Medical Marijuana Recommendations Via Telehealth Amid Coronavirus

The attorney general of New Jersey announced on Tuesday that the state will immediately begin allowing patients to obtain medical marijuana recommendations remotely via telehealth services amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This comes months before voters in the state are set to decide on a referendum to legalize cannabis for adult use.

“Today, we are making it easier for patients to choose telehealth services for any reason, including to avoid an in-person visit due to the continuing risk of COVID-19,” Attorney General Gurbir Grewal (D) said in a press release.



“New Jersey health care practices are again offering in-person services, but telehealth remains an important option for patients and providers,” he said. “Doctors who use telemedicine to prescribe CDS or authorize medical marijuana will be held to the same professional standards as for in-person visits and must comply with all of the important safeguards we have adopted to prevent diversion and misuse.”

The new administrative order on telehealth also applies to the prescription of controlled substances for chronic pain and it is set to last until the end of New Jersey’s coronavirus state of emergency or the end of a federal telemedicine allowance, whichever comes first.

New Jersey’s Department of Health also took a step to mitigate the spread of the virus in June by allowing medical cannabis dispensaries to deliver products to patients.

Delaware, Louisiana, Washington, D.C. and Jamaica have each made similar moves to free up medical marijuana deliveries amid the pandemic.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is supportive of more broadly legalizing marijuana and said last month that the policy change could simultaneously help the state recover economically from the COVID-19 outbreak while also promoting racial justice.

Voters in the state appear ready to make the change too, with nearly seven-in-10 residents voicing support for the referendum in a recent poll.

Separately, the Assembly approved a bill in June to decriminalize possession of up to two ounces of marijuana, though the Senate hasn’t acted on the proposal.
 
New Jersey Voters Want Legal Marijuana And Favor Higher Taxes On Sales, New Poll Shows

New Jersey voters are strongly in favor of a referendum to legalize marijuana that’s on their ballots this November—and most support of setting a tax rate for cannabis that’s higher than the standard sales tax—according to a new survey.

The poll, commissioned by Brach Eichler LLC, showed that 66 percent of likely voters back the legalization measure, which was placed before voters by the legislature. That’s about five percentage points higher than when residents were surveyed on the issue in April.

Screen-Shot-2020-08-20-at-1.16.24-PM.png


For the tax rate question, respondents were asked whether adult-use cannabis “should have a higher sales tax rate than other goods and services in New Jersey (currently 6.625%).” About 55 percent said marijuana should be taxed higher.

Screen-Shot-2020-08-20-at-1.16.59-PM.png


“Most people don’t favor higher taxes, but we believe this reflects both an awareness of the fiscal needs of the State, as well as an understanding that other states that have legalized cannabis have imposed taxes and surcharges of up to 25 percent,” Charles Gormally, cochair of the Cannabis Law Practice at the law firm Brach Eichler LLC, said in a press release.

“Voters are also saying they want the revenue derived from this taxation to be earmarked for drug awareness and education,” he said, referring to another survey finding that 71 percent of voters said they would prefer revenue be used for those purposes.

About 73 percent said that New Jersey should “ensure minorities have fair and equal access to the business opportunity.”

That result “reflects the increasing national awareness and growing concern about how minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by the failed policy of cannabis prohibition,” Gormally said.

“Meaningful minority group participation in the ownership of new cannabis businesses is a direct and credible way to address this longstanding social justice concern,” he said.

Interestingly, support for allowing social consumption sites dipped to 46.6 percent in this latest survey, which involved interviews with 500 likely New Jersey voters from August 5-13. When the firm asked voters about the proposal last month, 50 percent said they were in favor of it. At the time, 68 percent also said they favor the cannabis legalization referendum itself.

Almost 55 percent said in the new survey that online purchases and deliveries for cannabis should be allowed.

Another supermajority (66 percent) said people with prior low-level cannabis convictions should be able to have their records expunged.

As has historically been the case, people who identified as Democrats are more likely to support legalization (77 percent), but majorities of Republicans (56 percent) and independents (58 percent) also favor the policy change.

While the New Jersey legislature wasn’t able to pass a legalization bill on its own, lawmakers opted instead to place the issue on the ballot through a referendum question.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is supportive of the move and said last month that legalizing cannabis is “an incredibly smart thing to do” both from an economic and social justice perspective.

In June, the Assembly approved a bill to decriminalize possession of up to two ounces of marijuana.
 
Is Marijuana right for your town? Industry insiders discuss how legalizing the plant would impact communities at this Tuesday forum.
Updated 9:41 AM; Today 9:41 AM

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By NJ Cannabis Insider staff
Nearly 70% of New Jerseyans are in favor of legalizing cannabis, according to the most recent poll — making it likely voters will pass the ballot referendum to do just that on Nov. 3.
What are the social and economic impacts to your community is something the state’s city mayors and other municipal officials have been discussing since before Gov. Phil Murphy made expanding the medical marijuana program and legalizing recreational weed a campaign promise more than three years ago.

“Communities are slowly getting themselves around to the idea that medical cannabis is OK, but they’re definitely not there when it comes to recreational,” said Alixon Collazos, a cannabis market consultant at The BGill Group.

Even though there’s been a growing acceptance of medical cannabis, especially after it was deemed an essential service during the pandemic, Collazos says towns are still hesitant to allow it in their communities because the plant still carries a lot of stigma.

“Cannabis may not be right for every town,” Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr, a past president of the state League of Municipalities told NJ Cannabis Insider earlier this year. “That’s why it’s important to create a regulatory structure conducive for appropriate locations and protections where it’s inappropriate.”

On Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., Mahr and Collazos will join several industry insiders during the forum “Cannabis Legalization and Your Town.”

Presented by The BGill Group,this symposium, which will be livestreamed on Zoom, will will cover many of the questions communities have about the plant, how will state regulations affect home-rule, and what are the societal impacts — including the social justice aspect and the economic benefits municipalities stand to
 
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By NJ Cannabis Insider staff
They’re the family whose name became synonymous with New Jersey’s expansive medical marijuana program. She’s the health department regulator-turned-entrepreneur, seeking better ways to serve patients. He’s a former Republican mayor and Assemblyman who became among the state’s staunchest supporters of cannabis. And he’s a former combat vet who helped convince regulators to add PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions for medicinal cannabis aid.


There are many others on the frontlines of shaping the burgeoning cannabis, hemp and CBD industries in the Garden State

And in the next few weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 election — when New Jersey voters will decide whether to legalize recreational, adult-use cannabis — the NJ Cannabis Insider team of reporters will be offering a series of portraits of the individuals who have help steer the space to what it is today.

They are attorneys, doctors, lobbyists, small business owners and social justice activists. These cannabis influencer may be your next door neighbor.

They are the CannaInfluencers.

what a long way NJ has gone since Chris Cristy:twocents:
 
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