Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88285060016?pwd=cDNNOXZHSmtFMFJnQVEzaUhPaWVCUT09
Meeting ID: 882 8506 0016; Passcode: 951284
Agenda: Approve the August 2020 minutes.
HeadCount’s Cannabis Voter Project! Visit www.cannabisvoter.info learn about reform & take action! TEXT: WEVOTE to 40649. TEXT: CANNA to 40649.
To register to vote in NJ, you must be: a U.S. citizen; at least 18 years old; a county resident for 30 days before the election; and, not currently incarcerated. The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, October 13, 2020. College Voters United. Gov. Phil Murphy orders millions of ballots to be mailed to voters by Oct. 5. The state will provide more ballot drop boxes. To count, ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and arrive no later than 8 PM a week after Election Day. #VoteCannabis2020.
Axel Owen, campaign coordinator for NJ CAN 2020, is holding conference calls with CMMNJ. Be sure to “Like” them. Expect--and respond to--coming opposition campaign (Rapid Response).
CMMNJ held a Poster Contest to inspire people to vote Yes on the Cannabis ballot question on November 3rd, for artwork submitted by 9/1/20. Winners to be announced!
The Shore Grow fundraiser for Patient Aid will be 9/26/20 from 3 to 6 pm. Can’t attend in person? Join us virtually—on Zoom, or Podcast. Patients, be part of this--record your statements of how medical marijuana helps you. Send to Tom@ShoreGrow.com. See donated items for auction!
I’ve been unjustly criminalized by N.J.’s cannabis laws. Decriminalize it now!
Jawara McIntosh died 7/17/20 from injuries he sustained while in jail on a marijuana offense.
The Appellate court continues to halt the progress of 196 applications for 24 additional NJ medical marijuana licenses. State urged to compromise. Hearing coming soon? More delays coming?
Home cultivation for patients--sign the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. Also, visit the website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw. Use the momentum of a successful ballot victory in November to press forward our demands for social justice and home grow. Recent support grows!
Sativa Cross Podcasts, Trenton State House, 9/24, 10/22, 11/26, 11am to 2 pm.
The CannAtlantic Cannabis Conference, 9/26/20, 10 am – 6:30 pm.
Make a tax-deductible donation via PayPal to info@cmmnj.org, or, send a check to:
CMMNJ, 219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618. Hemp wristbands also available.
Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey
Twitter: @CMM_NJ
CMMNJ blog: https://cmmnj.blogspot.com/
CMMNJ’s free, public meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9 PM.
CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.
The ballot question voters will be asked to approve on November 3, 2020:
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
Do you approve amending the Constitution to legalize a controlled form of marijuana called “cannabis”?
Only adults at least 21 years of age could use cannabis. The State commission created to oversee the State’s medical cannabis program would also oversee the new, personal use cannabis market.
Cannabis products would be subject to the State sales tax. If authorized by the Legislature, a municipality may pass a local ordinance to charge a local tax on cannabis products.
INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT
This amendment would legalize a controlled form of marijuana called “cannabis.” Only persons at least 21 years of age could use cannabis products legally.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission would oversee the new adult cannabis market. This commission was created in 2019 to oversee the State’s medical cannabis program. The scope of the commission’s new authority would be detailed in laws enacted by the Legislature.
All retail sales of cannabis products in the new adult cannabis market would be subject to the State’s sales tax. If authorized by the Legislature, a municipality may pass a local ordinance to charge a local tax on cannabis products.
More info at: SCR183/ACR840
Monthly Public Meeting Minutes
August 11, 2020
July 2020 Minutes approved. (The fifth fully virtual public meeting of CMMNJ.)
CMMNJ’s Get-Out-the-Vote Campaign:
Plant the seeds of change: HeadCount’s Cannabis Voter Project! Visit www.cannabisvoter.info learn about reform & take action! TEXT: WEVOTE to 40649.
To register to vote in NJ, you must be: a U.S. citizen; at least 18 years old; a county resident for 30 days before the election; and, not currently incarcerated. #VoteCannabis2020 on 11/3/20!
Dee Carnegia is reaching out to NJ colleges and universities with letter/phone calls and emails: GOTV at Princeton U. Per Dee, some colleges are supportive, and she is working with Student Life representatives. “Voter Platform” is used on some campuses. Outsiders are not being permitted on campus, though some virtual set-ups are being arranged. Universities are educating voters about mail-in ballots. Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics is a resource. Prof. Calvin Schwartz at R.U. will be on Discover NJTV (reaching over 25K students).
Tracy McHugh is contacting sororities and fraternities in NJ.
NJ CAN 2020 hired Axel Owen to work to pass the ballot question on Nov. 3, 2020.
CMMNJ is holding a Poster Contest to inspire people to vote Yes on November 3rd. Submit your artwork by 9/1/20. Win prizes ($25 and CMMNJ merchandise for top prizes)! Do good!
Gov. Murphy reaffirmed his enthusiastic support of marijuana legalization: “It’s got a huge social justice piece for me,” Murphy said. “The overwhelming percentage of persons nailed in our criminal justice system are persons of color…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.” The latest poll by DKC Analytics shows that 68 percent of NJ respondents support legalizing cannabis for adults.
CMMNJ’s Peter Rosenfeld published an Op Ed supporting the adult use ballot question in NJ.
The Shore Grow fundraiser for Patient Aid will be 9/26/20 from 3 to 6 pm. Can’t attend in person? Join us virtually—on Zoom, or Podcast. Patients, be part of this--record your statements of how medical marijuana helps you. Send to Tom@ShoreGrow.com Donate items for auction!
Cannabis Decriminalization bill A1897 passed in the NJ Assembly 6/18/20. A better bill, S2535 awaits action in the NJ Senate. Rally for Decrim: State House, Trenton, 8/27/20, 11 – 2.
NJ MMP Update: The DOH issued regulations on 6/25/20 to allow NJ ATCs to begin home delivery, but the service has yet to start.
TerrAscend Corp. said on 8/4/20 that its greenhouse in Boonton was OK’d by the NJ Department of Health to begin cultivating cannabis. Their first harvest is expected during the fourth quarter of this year. An ATC is expected to open in Phillipsburg, NJ in Q4 2020, followed by two additional ATCs upon regulatory approval.
The Appellate court on 7/2/20 denied the DOH motion to end the stay and award ATC licenses. The DOH defended its actions, saying it was for good reasons that certain applicants were rejected on November 18, 2019. (Awards were supposed to be announced in December.) This continues to halt the progress, almost a year later, of 24 additional NJ medical marijuana licenses. State urged to compromise. Linda Graves gave an update on the issue. Many applicants are being harmed financially by the delay. There may be a review by the Court in October 2020. Regardless of the court decision, there may be additional legal challenges and appeals.
Home cultivation for patients--sign the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. Also, visit the website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw. Use the momentum of a successful ballot victory in November to press forward our demands for social justice and home grow.
Leading Cannabis Activist Mike Brennan: Advocate & Patient featured in Heady NJ.
Sativa Cross Podcasts, Trenton State House, 8/27, 9/24, 10/22, 11/26, 11am to 2 pm.
Rally for Decrim: State House, Trenton, 8/27/20, 11 – 2
March Against the War on Drugs, March, Rally, Speakers, CMMNJ table. Newark, 7/10/20.
Treasury report: Checking: $3572; PayPal: $2974. Help our GOTV campaign!
More info: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey
Twitter: @CMM_NJ
CMMNJ blog: https://cmmnj.blogspot.com/
CMMNJ’s free, public meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9 PM.