CMMNJ Monthly Meeting Agenda for May 11, 2021

 

CMMNJ Monthly Zoom Meeting Agenda for May 11, 2021 at 7 pm 

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83778348620?pwd=ZFVqajk2QzlsODRERFVqbHkyK2U1QT09

Meeting ID: 837 7834 8620; Passcode: 321628

Agenda: 

New Jersey’s broken & indefensible marijuana laws are no more: 

It’s no long against state law to have 6 ounces or less of marijuana or about three-fifths of an ounce of hashish. It’s not a crime to be under the influence of marijuana, or to possess marijuana paraphernalia, or to be in possession of it while operating a car. The state still has laws against driving under the influence of drugs.

Marijuana legalization won the support of voters in 562 of the 565 municipalities in New Jersey. How did your town vote on NJ marijuana legalization? 

It’s 4/20, a day to celebrate cannabis and cannabis culture. NJ marijuana activists celebrated the first 4:20 on 4/20 of the state's new era of legal weed.

The New Jersey CannaBusiness Association formed an alliance with NJ’s economic justice advocates to ensure minority representation in the state’s cannabis industry. 

Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC):

The CRC oversees NJ’s projected $2B adult cannabis and medical cannabis markets and will develop regulations to enact the laws. It consists of Jeff Brown (Executive Director), Dianna Houenou (Chair), Sam Delgado (Vice Chair), Maria Del Cid, Charles Barker, and Krista Nash. CRC meetings were held on 4/12, 4/22, and 5/4. Questions and comments from the public can be summitted at mmpquestions@doh.nj.gov

Standardizing cannabis labeling will protect consumers and boost confidence: Dr. David Nathan, founder & board president, Doctors For Cannabis Regulation.

NJ MMP: 

Zen Leaf, New Jersey’s 16th medical marijuana dispensary, opened in Neptune 4/16/21. Zen Leaf, already in Elizabeth since last spring, is operated by the Illinois-based company Verano. It will have 120,000 square feet of cultivation space at its grow site in Readington, NJ and it plans to also open in Lawrenceville.

Gov. Murphy conditionally vetoed a telemedicine bill (S619) for medical marijuana patients saying he found it too restrictive. Murphy is asking lawmakers to make all patients eligible for telehealth authorization.

Home cultivation for patients:

A medical home-grow bill A5363/S3420 (Asw. Reynolds-Jackson; Senators Singleton, Gopal, O'Scanlon, & Bateman) authorizes cultivation of medical cannabis, up to four mature and up to four immature cannabis plants.

S3407/A5435, (Sen. Cardinale/Asm. Auth) legalizes possession of six or fewer marijuana plants for any NJ adult. S3582/A5552 (Sen. Gopal/Asw. Downey & Asm. Houghtaling) legalizes growing up to six plants for personal use, and up to 10 plants for medical use, by persons aged 21 or older.

Most questions received by the CRC on 4/22 were about growing cannabis plants at home. Houenou said the commission "cannot comment on pending legislation," including bills that would allow home grow.

 

Concerns that homegrow would threaten a recreational and medical market was akin to unrealistic expectations of homebrewed alcohol pushing out the retail alcohol industry, said Ken Wolski.

Sign & share the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ; Website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw.

Court Case:

The NJ Supreme Court unanimously upheld an appellate decision that medical marijuana was a “reasonable and necessary” treatment for injuries, despite the federal laws against marijuana use. The court found that private employers are not exempt from such workers’ compensation cases.

National: 

President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anne Milgram, the former NJ attorney general, previously described the state’s medical marijuana bill as “workable.”

In New Mexico and Virginia, both governors signed bills to legalize cannabis and expunge cannabis-related convictions. Now 18 states have approved cannabis legalization for adults, including seven states in the last six months alone. (New York legalized recreational marijuana, on 3/31/21.)

Upcoming Events: 

“Qualified Immunity, Community & the Church,” Salvation and Social Justice, May 6, 2021 at 6 pm.

Rowan U. Institute for Cannabis Research, Policy, & Workforce Development 

Patients Out of Time, State of the Science, virtual conference, 5/20-22/2021.

Delaware Legalization Panel: Myth vs. Fact, 4/8/21 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 

Recent Events: 

Sativa Cross, License to Grow, NJ State House, 4/20/21. (Also, Potcast Schedule) 

Black Cannabis Equity Initiative (BCEI) and the Cannabis Industry, "SOCIAL EQUITY CANNABIS LEGALIZATION IN NJ" 4/19/21.

International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition, the 2nd of each month, 9 am.

NJ Cannabis Insider, “Homegrow and hemp,” April 13.

ASA National Medical Unity Conference, April 29 – 30, 2021. 

Mercer County Community College, NJ Cannabis Certification course, 5/3 – 6/1. 

Legacy To Legal: Transitioning into a Regulated Cannabis Market, 4/30/21.

Cannabis Education Virtual Event - A Community Discussion, 5/4/21.

Treasury report: 

Checking: $10,117; PayPal: $2,865. 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 are also available, including wholesale prices.

In April, CMMNJ received donations of $3953 from CURALEAF NJ II INC., 111 Coolidge Ave., Bellmawr, NJ 08031, and $1000 from Ed Forchion, NJWeedman’s Joint, 322 E State St, Trenton, New Jersey 08608. Both Curaleaf and NJWeedman’s Joint allowed CMMNJ to have a small display of our free, colorful, all-hemp bracelets, where their patrons could make donations to CMMNJ. We are deeply grateful to these organizations for their support.

More info: 

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com 

Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/62462971150/

Coalition for Medical Marijuana-New Jersey: http://www.cmmnj.org 

Twitter: @CMM_NJ 

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

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