Sen. Sweeney: we support legalization; will you support home cultivation?

Stephen M. Sweeney
Senate President
935 Kings Highway
Suite 400
West Deptford, NJ 08086

August 27, 2019

Dear Senator Sweeney:

Thank you for considering marijuana legalization in the state legislature in November 2019. The Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) wishes you great success in this effort. CMMNJ stands ready to assist you in any way that we can.

Marijuana legalization involves issues of medical freedom, religious freedom and personal freedom.

With marijuana legalization comes ease of access and greater affordability of the medical benefits of marijuana to an ever-increasing number of patients. Adults could buy it over-the-counter, like aspirin.

Marijuana legalization also strikes a blow for religious freedom. There are religions in the U.S. that regard marijuana as a holy plant that is used sacramentally by sincere believers. These religions include Hindu, Rastafarian and others. They will no longer be persecuted and imprisoned for their beliefs.

Marijuana legalization will decrease mass incarceration in the state. It will decrease oppression of the inner city poor and minorities, and all the misery attendant upon the prison experience.

Marijuana legalization also includes financial benefits to society from taxes and cost avoidance. Property taxes may well go down when the state no longer has to endure the expense of arresting 34,000 residents each year, mostly for possessing small amounts of marijuana. A robust marijuana industry contributes to the state in many ways.

CMMNJ asks you, Senator Sweeney, in return for our support, to sponsor a separate bill in 2020 to allow patients who are registered in the New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program to grow six cannabis plants for their personal use. These plants may be tagged and taxed and strictly regulated. The reasons for home cultivation for patients are affordability of medicine, availability of specific therapeutic strains of cannabis, and the physical therapy of gardening itself. This means a great deal to so many patients. We trust you will meet their needs by sponsoring this legislation next year.

Thank you for your support of marijuana reform in the Garden State!

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618
609.394.2137 www.cmmnj.org


CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for August 13, 2019

Monthly Public Meeting Agenda 
Lawrence Township Library, Room #3 
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM 

Approve July 2019 minutes. Discuss:

NJ DOH Request for Applications (RFA) for 24 new ATCs in NJ: up to 8 in north Jersey, 8 in central Jersey, 7 in south Jersey, and 1 “at-large”; these include 5 for cultivation, 15 dispensaries, and 4 vertically integrated permits. Application forms posted; due on 8/21 (Dispensary) and 8/22 (Cultivation & Vertically Integrated). Pre-Application Webinar 8/2/19.

Governor Murphy signed the medical marijuana expansion act, S20/A20 into law on 7/2/19, effective immediately. Includes: Patients may reduce doctor visits to 1X/year; increase limits to 3 ounces for all & unlimited in hospice; APNs & PA’s OK to recommend marijuana; edibles, tinctures, and sublinguals OK for all; patient protections; elimination of sales tax in 2022 (but added 2% tax); institutional caregivers; education; research; out-of-state ID cards honored, etc.

NJ marijuana legalization bill (S2703/A4497), may yet get a legislative floor vote in the lame duck session. Otherwise, legalization will be on the ballot in NJ in November 2020. Reach out to organizations and tell them to tell their members to support this bill!

N.J. Supreme Court takes case of funeral director fired for using medical marijuana

Upcoming Events: Jersey City Pride Festival, 8/24/19.
Podcast Trenton State House, 4th Thursday of each month, 11:11 am.
NORML Conference, Washington, D.C. September 8 -10, 2019.
Cannabis Career Fair, Stockton U. Student Center, 9/13/19, 9 am- 4 pm.
Ethics Seminar, Inspira Health Network, Centerton (NJ) Country Club, 10/17/19.

Recent events: 
“The Grassroots Cannabis Forum” Kennedy Park, Asbury Park, 7/6/19.
Everything Cannabis, Porta, 911 Kingsley St., Asbury Park, 7/10/19.
Medical Marijuana & Senior Citizens, Princeton Senior Resource Center, July 15.

Treasury report: Checking: $4191; PayPal: $2690.

CMMNJ’s free, public meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., 08648. All are welcome. (Meeting at the library does not imply Mercer County’s endorsement of our issue.)

More info: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org 
Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/62462971150/
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey: https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionforMedicalMJNJ/

CMMNJ blog: https://cmmnj.blogspot.com/

CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.

Monthly Public Meeting Minutes 
July 9, 2019

June 2019 minutes approved with date corrections.

Governor Murphy signed the medical marijuana expansion act, S20/A20 into law on 7/2/19, effective immediately. Includes: Patients may only visit doctors 1X/year; increase limits to 3 ounces for all & unlimited in hospice; APNs & PA’s OK to recommend marijuana; edibles, tinctures, and sublinguals OK for all; patient protections; elimination of sales tax in 2022 but 2% municipal tax added; institutional caregivers; education; research; out-of-state ID cards honored, etc. Home cultivation still not considered for NJ patients. Discussion.

DOH changes and reissues the RFA for 24 new ATCs in NJ on 7/1/19, inc. up to 8 in the north, 8 in central NJ, 7 in the south, and 1 “at-large”; these include 5 for cultivation, 15 dispensaries, and 4 vertically integrated permits. Application forms to be posted July 15; due on 8/21 (Dispensary) and 8/22 (Cultivation & Vertically Integrated). Pre-Application Webinar 8/2/19. NJ Cannabusiness Assn. RFA workshop 7/10, New Brunswick, NJ. Legal marijuana businesses discussed. Past applications that won are online. (NJCIA costs $800/year.)

NJ marijuana legalization bill is delayed (S2703/A4497), but may yet get a legislative floor vote. Key NJ Senators say they got more calls opposing this bill than supporting it! Reach out to organizations and tell them to tell their members to support this bill! (Illinois governor signed bill to legalize marijuana for adults; 11th state to do so.)

Upcoming Events: Podcast Trenton State House, 4th Thursday of each month, 11:11 am.
“The Grassroots Cannabis Forum” Kennedy Park, Asbury Park, 7/6/19, 11am – 5pm.
Everything Cannabis, Porta, 911 Kingsley St., Asbury Park, 7/10/19, 7:30 – 10 pm.
Medical Marijuana & Senior Citizens, Princeton Senior Resource Center, July 15, noon.
Ethics Seminar, Inspira Health Network, Centerton (NJ) Country Club, 10/17/19.
“How and when will we legalize marijuana?” PA Convention Center, Philly, 7/13 9 am.
“Cannabis laws & clinical trials” McNeil Center, Philly, 7/11/190 7 – 10 pm.

Recent events: NORML Advocacy Day, Trenton State House, 6/10/19, 11 am – 4 pm.
Thanks, Shore Grow Hydro, Ocean Twp. fundraiser for CMMNJ on  6/22 raised $605! 
State of marijuana in the state of New Jersey. NJ Spotlight Roundtable 6/21/19.
Human marijuana bong sings pro-medical pot songs, at various council meetings in NJ.
CannaBash, scheduled for June 15 at Mill Hill Park, Trenton, was cancelled at the last minute.

Treasury report: Checking: $4960; PayPal: $2661.

More info: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org
Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/62462971150/

CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.