Senate testimony opposing Recriminalization of Cannabis Possession

RE: Opposition to S4154 – Recriminalization of Cannabis Possession

Date: May 29, 2025

Dear Chair and Members of the Judiciary Committee,

I submit this statement in strong opposition to Senate Bill 4154. As a cancer patient living with chronic pain from spinal trauma, and a board member of CMMNJ, I have seen the consequences of cannabis prohibition up close. This bill would represent a devastating step backward.

1. This Bill Punishes the Poor and the Sick

Legal cannabis remains inaccessible for many in New Jersey. Prices are exorbitant, often over $400 per ounce. Dispensary products are inconsistently labeled, and too often, patients report contamination and poor quality. And yet, patients are still not allowed to grow their own medicine. For those of us relying on cannabis to manage serious health conditions, this bill sends a clear message:

If you can’t afford it—you can go to jail.

2. This Is a Protectionist Bill for Industry, Not Public Safety

S4154 will not make New Jersey safer. It will simply expand criminal penalties for those shut out of the legal market. In doing so, it shields licensed operators from competition while offering no solutions to the real issues: affordability, access, and product safety.

3. This Is a Racial and Economic Justice Issue

Cannabis arrests in New Jersey have historically targeted Black and Brown communities. S4154 revives the exact playbook that devastated those communities for decades. It is an unacceptable regression.

What We Need Instead

• Legal home cultivation for patients

• Regulation that enforces product safety and transparency

• Policies that ensure accessibility and affordability, not criminalization

---

As someone who lives with disability and chronic illness, and who relies on cannabis as part of a lifesaving regimen, I am appalled that this Legislature would consider putting arrest and prosecution back on the table for people like me.

I urge you in the strongest possible terms: Reject S4154.

Let’s move forward, not backward.

Let’s protect people, not profits.

Sincerely,

Michael Brennan

Board Member, Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey

Phytotherapeutics Advocate

Email: mdb5683@gmail.com

Phone: +1 (856) 266-5226

Website: www.cmmnj.org

Michael Brennan's testimony "S4154: Establishes crime of selling or purchasing marijuana from unlicensed businesses" at the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on May 29, 2025, begins at the 1:46:00 mark and ends at 1:51:57. See:

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/archived-media/2024/SJU-meeting-list/media-player?committee=SJU&agendaDate=2025-05-29-10:00:00&agendaType=M&av=A

Testimony to the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission 11-9-21

Testimony to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission

By: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA

Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.

November 9, 2021

The Commission is interested in hearing the Coalition’s thoughts on the following:

1. How can the Commission best protect public health while allowing for a greater variety of cannabis items?

2. How can food safety requirements work together with cannabis safety regulations?

3. What forms of edibles should or should not be permitted?

4. Are some edibles appropriate for the medicinal cannabis market and not the recreational cannabis market?

5. What important information should consumers and patients be aware of if they are interested in purchasing edible cannabis items?

1. The CRC can best protect public health while allowing for a greater variety of cannabis items by doing exactly what it is doing now--developing regulations for edible cannabis items including the: 

⦁ Production; 

⦁ Testing; 

⦁ Labeling; 

⦁ Packaging; and,

⦁ Distribution of these items.

This will ensure that cannabis items are safely produced, periodically tested for cannabinoid content and contaminants, accurately labeled because of these tests, securely packaged with appropriate warnings, and distributed to adults from licensed vendors. 

The CRC should quickly adopt Dosing and Administration guidelines and promulgate these guidelines to the cannabis consuming community and the healthcare community in order to increase the safety and appropriate use of edible products. In fact, the “Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act" was signed into law over two years ago, requiring these guidelines that have yet to be adopted in New Jersey: 

     “g.    The commission shall establish, by regulation, curricula for health care practitioners…:

     (1)   The curriculum for health care practitioners shall be designed to assist practitioners in counseling patients with regard to the quantity, dosing, and administration of medical cannabis as shall be appropriate to treat the patient’s qualifying medical condition.  Health care practitioners shall complete the curriculum as a condition of authorizing patients for the medical use of cannabis.”

Educational programs on the Endocannabinoid System for medical providers in New Jersey (now including physicians, Advanced Practice Nurses, and Physician Assistants) are required. Dosing and Administration guidelines and Endocannabinoid educational programs are readily available. 

For example, a company called “Cannabis Expertise” offers 2-hour and 4-hour Medical Cannabis educational courses with nationally accredited AMA credits at https://cannabisexpertise.com/. These modules were the basis for healthcare professionals to be certified as recommenders in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The organization trained healthcare professionals from 38 states and 9 countries. The dosing recommendations in the training have been developed by physicians who kept track of every patient’s profile and reaction to cannabis.

The New Jersey Department of Health’s Executive Order 6 Report on 3/23/2018: 

DEVELOPMENT OF PROVIDER EDUCATION PROGRAM AND DOSING GUIDELINES With the expansion of authorized debilitating conditions, the Department recognizes the need to provide education and guidance to providers. To that end, the Department is exploring the creation of an education program for all physicians, with focus on the endocannabinoid system. The Department plans to leverage the expertise of the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel to oversee the curriculum development for this program. This education program will serve to create best practices for the safe and effective administration of medicinal marijuana to the expanded universe of qualifying patients. In conjunction with the provider education program, there is also a need to develop standardized dosing and administrative protocols for medicinal marijuana products, including information on expected effects, side effects, and adverse effects. In addition to the provider education component above, the Department will charge the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel, in an advisory role, to oversee the study of the efficacy of medicinal marijuana in treating New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program patients. This research will inform dosing and administration protocols to create best practices and improve health outcomes for qualifying patients. The Department believes that this refocusing of the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel will make the best use of the expertise that the Panel provides to create best practices to inform health care providers and improve health outcomes for qualifying patients. https://www.state.nj.us/health/medicalmarijuana/documents/EO6Report_Final.pdf

Marijuana is mainstream medicine. The Medical Cannabis program in New Jersey is expanding rapidly, and the adult use industry will soon expose even more residents to the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. As more and more people experience these benefits, health care professionals in the state must become comfortable incorporating cannabis use into the therapeutic regimens of their patients. This can be done most efficiently by requiring education on the Endocannabinoid System for all health care professionals in the state of New Jersey as a condition for continued licensure in the state.

The Jake Honig Act also called for “Institutional caregivers” in the state. These caregivers are employees of a health care facility who are authorized to assist registered qualifying patients, who are patients or residents of the facility, with the medical use of cannabis, including obtaining medical cannabis and assisting these patients with the administration of medical cannabis. Currently, most health care facilities forbid the use of medical cannabis in the facility. This is a dangerous and potentially fatal situation. A patient who suffers from seizures may be admitted to a health care facility and then denied access to the only medicine that controls their seizures--medical cannabis. I was part of a team that tried unsuccessfully to save a patient in Status Epilepticus, an unrelenting seizure condition, at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital in the early 1970’s. It was a tragic experience that I have never forgotten. It should not happen again.

In addition to the expanding medical cannabis program and the anticipated increase in cannabis users through the adult use program, it is my sincere hope that the state will recognize its responsibility to the institutionalized patients in New Jersey. For 25 years, I have worked as a registered nurse (RN) in the state prison system and at a state psychiatric hospital. I know that many patients in these institutions qualify for medical cannabis and could benefit greatly from it. The staff there is already trained to administer, account for, and evaluate the effect of controlled substances. There is no reason to withhold this important medical therapy from these patients. In fact, courts have determined that inmates are entitled to “community standards” of healthcare. Edible medical cannabis products will improve health care in state institutions, group homes, hospices, etc., and will reduce the costs of running these programs.

2. Cannabis safety regulations must work in conjunction with food safety requirements to ensure consumer safety in using edible cannabis products. 

According to the NJ Department of Health: 

A person or entity that engages in the production, distribution, and/or sale of food to consumers shall:

1. Have a Cottage Food Operator Permit; or

2. Comply with applicable laws to retail food establishments.

https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/phfpp/retailfood/cottagefood.shtml#cfo1

The Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University supports established early-stage entrepreneurs and existing food companies from concept to commercialization. For more information, see: https://foodinnovation.rutgers.edu/

Additionally, the sale of edible cannabis products should require a license from the CRC to ensure compliance with production, testing, labeling, packaging, and distribution regulations.

3. Any form of edibles should be permitted as long as the regulatory procedures are followed in terms of their safe production, periodic testing, accurate labelling, secure packaging, and appropriate distribution. There should be no arbitrary exclusions placed on cannabis products.

Marijuana therapy is highly individualized. The amount that is used each day is determined by what is necessary to control the symptoms of the patient. Anything that patients need should be available to them. This includes a wide variety of edible products. 

Edibles are especially important for patients. Some patients simply cannot use inhaled types of cannabis either because of their medical conditions, or because of their living conditions.

The State of New Jersey has determined that cannabis has medically beneficial uses. It needs to be liberally available to those who are suffering due to lack of access to it. 

Dietary restrictions should also be taken into consideration for edible items. For example, sugarless products should be available (and not necessarily with a "sugar-free" sweetener alternative). Vegan products and hypoallergenic dietary edibles should also be available.

Public health and public safety can be improved by making the widest possible variety of products, including all potencies, legally available to patients who require them. This will diminish reliance on the unregulated market.

4. Edible products that are appropriate for the medicinal cannabis market are also appropriate for the recreational cannabis market.

Public safety can be improved not by banning edibles and other high potency products from the adult use markets, but by regulating the use of these products.

These are products that many New Jersey residents already want and use for their health and happiness. 

Many so-called recreational, or adult users experience medical benefit from cannabis products for undiagnosed or untreated conditions. Patients without health insurance may not be able to afford access to most American health care, including psychiatric care. Other patients may be on the spectrum of some disorder—Anxiety, PTSD, etc.--that negatively impacts the quality of their lives but does not rise to the level of a diagnosable condition. These patients know that cannabis can improve their quality of life, without them technically being considered medical marijuana patients. 

Edible and other high potency products are already in common use in the state. To ban them only recreates the very marijuana prohibition that voters overwhelmingly rejected in the November 2020 election.

To deter the unregulated market, the legal market should have all the products the black market does. Ideally, NJ residents should have access to the whole plant, full spectrum concentrates, the leaves, roots, and raw cannabinoids, all of which are used medicinally.

5. Important information that consumers and patients should be aware of when purchasing edible cannabis items include: 

⦁ Total dosage of THC per package; 

⦁ Strength of THC per unit dosage; 

⦁ Special dietary contents if included (e.g., sugar-free, vegan, hypoallergenic); 

⦁ Expiration date and storage recommendations; and,

⦁ Warning that the package contains cannabis (See https://www.dfcr.org/universal-cannabis-symbol); 

Thank you for the opportunity to address this commission. I would like to congratulate the CRC for the mission that it has taken on, to create this new cannabis industry in the state with social justice at its core. I want to acknowledge the progress you have made in fulfilling this mission and note that you are doing all this while managing the Medical Cannabis Program.

Having worked in NJ state government for 25 years, I am aware of some of the challenges that you face.

I would also like to congratulate Phil Murphy on his reelection as governor of New Jersey. I'm confident that we can look forward to four more years of continued cannabis reform in this state, and that means a great deal to me and to all the people in New Jersey.

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

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/

November 9, 2021

Testimony to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission June 1, 2021

 Testimony to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission

June 1, 2021

What non-oil-based concentrates and edible products would make medical cannabis easier to take, more effective, and more accessible?  Should similar products be available to recreational users?

How would new product types—particularly those with high potency—impact public health and safety?

What products would make medical cannabis easier to take, more effective, and more accessible?

Edible products were approved for New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana Program (NJ MMP) patients during the Christie administration, but for minors only(!) Edible products were approved for all NJ MMP patients during the Murphy administration but have never become available through the Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs). Only lozenges are currently available for sublingual use. Patients and caregivers have been forced to create their own edible cannabis products from the flower purchased at the ATCs. Alternately, edible products are also available on the unregulated black market. 

To assist patients and caregivers, the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) produced the “Patient Handbook 2015” that contained easy to follow recipes, with photos, that were submitted by three CMMNJ Board members. These recipes included “Making brownies—How to prepare edibles with consistent amounts of THC,” “Cannabis butter: Crockpot small batch cannabutter,” and, “Butter and…salad dressing?” 

CMMNJ also produced a 28-minute YouTube video, “CMMNJ TV with Amanda Hoffman.” CMMNJ Board member Hoffman demonstrated the process for making edible forms of cannabis. The video is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NApjPNDAyyo

Marijuana therapy is highly individualized. The amount that is used each day is determined by what is necessary to control the symptoms of the patient.

New marijuana types have the potential to improve public health and safety. Safety can be addressed by doing exactly what the CRC is now doing—appropriately regulating the production, testing, labeling, packaging, and distribution of cannabis products, including high potency products. 

Any edible, inhaled or topical product of any strength should be allowed as long as it is properly produced, tested, labelled and packaged. 

CMMNJ endorses the labeling recommendations of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR). These recommendations can be found at “Setting the Standard for Cannabis Labeling” https://dfcr.org/labeling

Edibles are especially important for patients. Some patients simply cannot use inhaled types of cannabis either because of their medical conditions, or because of their surroundings, or because of their living conditions such as at health care facilities. Other patients may have a cultural prejudice against the inhalation method of drug administration (“No drug is smoked!”)

High potency edibles get a bad reputation when an inexperienced user tries them. Patients must be made aware of the delayed onset of action of edible products along with the prolonged duration of effect compared to the inhaled method of administration. Otherwise, these patients may inadvertently consume more than is necessary for symptom control and become over sedated.  The good news is that no overdose of cannabis has ever produced a fatal result. Dosage levels, generally in 10 mg portions of edible products, should be clearly labelled. Patients who are new to this type of therapy should be instructed to “start low and go slow” with their dosage titration.

On the other hand, patients with high tolerances, or patients with severe medical conditions, or multiple medical conditions, or terminal medical conditions, may need more potent edibles. When tolerance is high, patients may need 50mg or more to feel the desired effects.

In addition, some patients use a combination of edible products for their long-lasting effects while using inhaled cannabis for breakthrough pain or other noxious symptoms. Some patients may need a consistent bioavailability of cannabinoids that can most readily be achieved by edible products. 

Anything that patients need should be available to them. This includes a wide variety of edible products. 

Marijuana is legal and the State of New Jersey has determined that it has medically beneficial uses. It needs to be liberally available to those who are suffering, and who need it, in the widest possible array of products.

The CRC must be flexible in providing approvals as patients, medical personnel or advocacy groups bring issues to it. The CRC is encouraged to provide liberal authorizations as it develops the required regulations, as opposed to the overly restrictive regulations that were adopted for the MMP during the Christie administration.

With concentrates, medical marijuana should be tested more frequently, ideally after each harvest to allay patient concerns about contaminants.

Patients are also looking for Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO), suppositories, and sugar-free edibles.

Public health can be improved by making the widest possible variety of products, including all potencies, legally available to patients who require them. 

Should similar products be available to recreational users?

Yes. Public safety can be improved not by banning edibles and other high potency products from the adult use markets, but by regulating the use of these products.

These are products that many New Jersey residents already want and use for their health and happiness. Many so-called recreational, or adult users experience medical benefit from cannabis products for undiagnosed or untreated medical, mental health, or emotional conditions. Patients without health insurance may not be able to afford access to most American health care, including psychiatric care. Other patients may be on the spectrum of some disorder—Anxiety, Bipolar, PTSD, etc.--that negatively impacts the quality of their lives but does not rise to the level of a diagnosable condition. These patients know that cannabis can improve their quality of life, without technically being considered medical marijuana patients. 

Edible and other high potency products are already in common use in the state. To ban them only recreates the very marijuana prohibition that voters overwhelmingly rejected in the November 2020 election.

To deter the unregulated market, the legal market should have all the products the black market does. Ideally, NJ residents should have access to the whole plant, full spectrum concentrates, the leaves, roots, and raw cannabinoids, which are all medicinal.

Of course, as with flower products, the CRC should ensure that such products are sufficiently available to patients before being made available to the adult use market. 

How do high potency types of marijuana impact public health and safety?

Marijuana has been used throughout the world for thousands of years. It was in the U.S. Pharmacopeia for almost 100 years before it was banned. It was not banned for medical or scientific reasons. It was banned after a campaign of misinformation. 

In the 1930’s prohibitionists associated marijuana with insanity, criminality and death. In the 1960’s prohibitionists said that marijuana damaged the immune system and made men grow female breasts. In the 1990’s prohibitionists said marijuana was 10 times stronger than the marijuana of the 1960’s and that now it was REALLY dangerous. (Meanwhile, they would not allow you to have the weaker stuff, either.) 

Now prohibitionists are saying there are new dangers associated with high potency marijuana, including mental illness. This is one of the most studied of all cannabis issues, going back to the 19th Century India Hemp Drug Commission report. That report, and most subsequent reports, found no causal connection between marijuana use and mental illness. Just think about it. The rates of schizophrenia in the adult population are stable at about 2% worldwide. The rate is the same in countries like Canada, that has one of the highest percentages of marijuana users, and countries like Japan that has one of the lowest percentages of marijuana users. Moreover, the rate of mental illness was the same in the U.S. before and after the 1960’s when there was an explosion of marijuana use.

It is true that marijuana can precipitate a psychotic episode in a person who is predisposed to mental illness. But so can alcohol and other substances and events in the person’s life. That is not the same thing as being a cause of mental illness.

No, the reality is that marijuana can help many people who suffer from mental illness. That is why there is an increased rate of marijuana use in this population. I am an RN, and I worked in psychiatric hospitals for over five years. It is no surprise to me that patients with mental illness seek out alternatives to currently prescribed anti-psychotic drugs that are often ineffective, often have undesirable side effects, and are often expensive to boot.

Much of the marijuana of today has greatly increased potency when compared to the marijuana of the 1960’s. However, it is a groundless fear that there are new risks associated with this stronger marijuana. 

I know from personal experience that the East and West coasts of the United States were saturated with high-grade marijuana by the late 1960’s. (I attended colleges and universities in California and New Jersey from 1967 through 1976 and during that time I earned three undergraduate degrees—Associate in Arts, Bachelor of Arts, and Associate in Applied Science.) 

On college campuses, there was Columbian Gold, Panama Red, Thai Sticks, various Jamaican strains, and high-grade Mexican marijuana from the state of Michoacán, to name just a few, that were the equal in THC potency to many of the strains available today. 

In addition, there was a wide variety of hashish (hash) on the campuses. Hash was available from Morocco, Lebanon, and Afghanistan. Hash, which is a collection of the resin of the cannabis (marijuana) plant, typically had a THC content of 15% - 20% which made it stronger than most of the marijuana that was available then and equal to some of the stronger marijuana available now. 

Hash was desirable precisely because of its potency. A supply of hash would last longer than a supply of marijuana because less was required to produce the desired effect. Also, fewer toxins were introduced into the body because less smoking was required. 

A commonly observed phenomenon in the 1960’s was, “Good pot drives out bad pot.” That is, when marijuana of superior quality was introduced in an area, the more inferior marijuana was less sought after and hence became less available. The same is true today. 

The explosion of sophisticated cultivation techniques has greatly increased the potency and variety of homegrown marijuana. Now, U.S. homegrown is the equal to any of the legendary international strains of the late 1960’s. This represents progress and the maturity of the U.S. marijuana market. It does not represent the introduction of a new product or a new threat. 

With legalization and regulation of marijuana, consumers can have available to them products that are laboratory tested with accurately labeled contents, including cannabinoids and terpenes. Consumers will know exactly what strength they are getting in order to use the substance more safely.

I am also including a brief from the U.S. Cannabis Council on “THC Cap and Ban.” The USCC says capping and banning cannabis products:

⦁ Is not supported by scientific consensus as effective public health policy;

⦁ Have been unanimously rejected by states and state regulators;

⦁ Have negative unintended consequences in criminal justice reform;

⦁ Are pharmaceutically and therapeutically undesirable; and,

⦁ Decrease public safety and increase harms.

Thank you for the opportunity to address this commission.

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

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/

CMMNJ TV, process for making edible forms of cannabis, with Amanda Hoffman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NApjPNDAyyo 

Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, “Setting the Standard for Cannabis Labeling” https://dfcr.org/labeling/

U.S. Cannabis Council “THC Cap-and-Ban Policy Brief” http://www.uscannabiscouncil.org/

CMMNJ Year End Report 2018

Year End Report 2018

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) educational organization, incorporated in the State of New Jersey.  The mission of CMMNJ is to educate the public about medical marijuana.  The goal of CMMNJ is to have safe and legal access to medical marijuana for qualified New Jersey patients.

In 2018, CMMNJ held twelve free public meetings at the Lawrence Township Library in Mercer County.  At the meetings, Board members and volunteers planned upcoming events and educational programs.  CMMNJ sent the agenda and minutes of these meetings via e-mail to over 1000 supporters each month and posted the agendas on Facebook, Twitter and on the CMMNJ blog. 

CMMNJ’s public meetings for 2019 will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. (Mercer County) Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike
Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648.  All are welcome at these meetings and there is never a charge to attend. Meeting at the library does not imply Mercer County’s endorsement of our issue.

New Jersey Highlights of 2018

• Marijuana legalization advanced through New Jersey legislative committees. 
• Medical Marijuana Program doubles in size in first year of Murphy administration.
• Marijuana reform progresses nationally and regionally.
• Marijuana Rescheduling/Descheduling efforts continue.
• CMMNJ publications, activities, finances and Board report.

Marijuana legalization advanced through New Jersey legislative committees 

At noon on Jan. 16, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy brought a new administration to Trenton that was much friendlier to marijuana reform than the previous administration.

NJ Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee hearings:
CMMNJ was invited to give oral and written testimony in support of legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana for adults in NJ at the Trenton Statehouse on March 5, 2018. Another hearing was conducted on 4/21/18 at Rowan U., Glassboro, and on 5/12/18, a follow up committee meeting was held on at Bergen County Community College, Paramus. CMMNJ Executive Director, Ken Wolski, RN said at the Trenton hearing:

“We do not need to ‘slow down’ our march towards social justice in New Jersey. We do not need to slow down our efforts to end the destructive, ineffective and counterproductive War on Marijuana. We need to speed these efforts up.” 

In 2014, CMMNJ’s Board of Directors endorsed legalization of marijuana. The Board recognized legalization as the most efficient and effective way to get the therapeutic effects of marijuana to the vast number of patients who can benefit from this plant. Legalization of marijuana is also an important step in undoing the harms to our society that are caused by our current policy of drug prohibition.

New Jersey voters support, by a margin of 62% - 33% in the latest scientific poll, allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Voters also support 63% - 27% erasing criminal records for marijuana possession. CMMNJ expects only a modest marijuana use uptick of 3% with a new legalization law; 97% of current marijuana users will simply change vendors from illegal market to legal market. Teen use is down in the legal states.

Marijuana-related Bills in New Jersey’s 2018-2019 Legislative Session: 
January 2018 was the start of a new, 2-year legislative session in New Jersey.  All bills reintroduced in the legislature were given new bill numbers. There were a number of marijuana-related bills in the 2018-2019 Legislative Session. Information about these bills can be found on the web site of the New Jersey Legislature, or see CMMNJ Board member Jo Anne Zito’s comprehensive analysis of current legislation along with contact info for elected officials on her Facebook page.

In July, CMMNJ was wondering what will the NJ legalization bill would look like? S830/A1348/A3819; A3581; A1557; S2703; S2702 (combination) & medical marijuana expansion bills: S1955 (Jake Honig law) and several others. The hoped for vote coming in September on a NJ legalization bill never materialized. CMMNJ priorities included home cultivation, automatic expungement, industry diversity, and protection of out-of-state patients.

Then it was hoped that a NJ Senate vote was coming October 29th on legalization bill, S2703. The Scutari/Sweeney bill was in the Senate Judiciary Committee awaiting a hearing. Committee hearings are the time for public input. A bill approved in committee, is likely to pass in the entire senate. (The process is repeated in the Assembly before the bill is sent to the governor’s desk.) Hoboken, Newark & Jersey City mayors demand social equity in the marijuana legalization law. Opposition is strong and vocal, including law enforcement. The cannabis industry is lobbying for reform. The NJ State League of Municipalities urge mayors to request 5% tax added onto the already proposed taxes on the sale of legal marijuana.

A petition to legalize home cultivation in NJ and a legalization letter to NJ officials were distributed by CMMNJ. The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) also distributed a petition: Marijuana Legalization Must be Fair and Equitable in New Jersey.

Marijuana legalization was delayed in NJ again, with no action on October 29th. Details of S2703 were still being discussed: taxation, home cultivation; expungement; industry diversity; and rebuilding inner cities devastated by the war on marijuana. Legal marijuana in New Jersey was delayed to at least 2019, despite the fact that polls showed 58% in NJ & nationally, 66% OK legal pot in America.

On November 26 2018, S2703/A4497, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act which legalizes personal use cannabis for adults, creates the Cannabis Regulatory Commission to regulate personal use and medical cannabis, and provides expungement relief for certain past marijuana offenses, passed the joint appropriations committees from the Senate and Assembly. The committees voted 7-4 and 7-2, respectively, to advance the adult use bill to full Senate and Assembly votes. However, the hoped-for 12/17 vote on the floor of both houses did not occur. Nevertheless, this legislative progress stimulated interest in legalization in Pennsylvania and New York.

So, Governor Murphy’s plans to legalize marijuana in 2018 fell short. Legal, adult use of marijuana did not happen in New Jersey in 2018. Apparently, too many people wanted too many things out of the bill. CMMNJ’s goals were:

• Legalization with a home cultivation provision, 
• Expungement of prior non-violent marijuana records,
• Release of currently incarcerated non-violent marijuana inmates,  
• Descheduling of marijuana from its Schedule I status in New Jersey, 
• Help to inner city communities devastated by the War on Marijuana,
• Aid for women, minorities and veterans in the new marijuana industry,
• No interference with the current rights of medical marijuana patients,
• Reasonable public use of marijuana, and,
• Ending the tax on medical marijuana.

Meanwhile, NJ cops are the toughest in the nation for pot arrests:
Marijuana possession is 10.6 percent of all arrests. New Jersey's attorney general briefly adjourned all marijuana cases in municipal courts until September. Then, the A.G. said prosecutors may exercise discretion and choose not to prosecute some marijuana cases.

Medical Marijuana Program eases access and doubles in size in the first year of the Murphy administration

New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP):
The sixth anniversary of legal sales of marijuana in New Jersey was on 12-6-18.  The eighth anniversary of New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act becoming law was on 1-18-18. Six Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) are currently open and dispensing medical marijuana to qualified patients. Harmony ATC opened 6/18/18 in Secaucus, NJ.

Governor Phil Murphy, in his first week in office, signed Executive Order #6 to expand and improve access to the Medicinal Marijuana Program at a Press Conference in Trenton on 1/23/18, which CMMNJ attended. The DOH and the Board of Medical Examiners (BME) were given 60 days to come up with new rules.

CMMNJ met with DOH Deputy Commissioner Jackie Cornell on 2/28/18 as part of Gov. Murphy’s Executive Order #6 to expand and improve access to the MMP. CMMNJ also met with DOH Assistant Commissioner Jeff Brown. CMMNJ urged extensive revisions to the MMP. "It was a program designed to keep people out of it," said Ken Wolski, in NJ.com. "It’s a program that’s not meeting the needs of the patients.” CMMNJ presented its “Regulatory and Legislative Recommendations for the New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program.”

CMMNJ also attended Gov. Murphy’s Press Conference on 3/27/18 for the E.O. #6 Report.
CMMNJ was very happy with the recommendations to expand qualifying conditions for marijuana therapy, end the physician registry, cut fees, etc. "I'm very pleased the governor has taken such a strong stand to expand the program," Ken Wolski said in NJ.com.

NJ DOH MMP adds qualifying conditions for marijuana therapy.
The New Jersey Department of Health accepted Petitions to add qualifying conditions to the state’s MMP between 8-1-16 and 8-31-16. A total of 45 Petitions were accepted by the NJ DOH for consideration by a panel of health care professionals--five physicians, two pharmacists and one RN, who were appointed by the DOH. The DOH published links to each Petition. The Medicinal Marijuana Program Review Panel gave final approval to 43 petitions to add conditions (chronic pain, anxiety, migraines, and Tourette’s syndrome) to the MMP on 10/25/17. Then, the DOH commissioner had 180 days to act. These conditions were finally added on 3/17/28.

CMMNJ testified at the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee on 3/22/18 in support of medical marijuana Substitute bill A3437.

CMMNJ testified at the Assembly Appropriations Committee in support of A3421, “Jake Honig’s Law” on 4/5/18, to increase the limit of medical marijuana allowed, add oils, etc. CMMNJ made other recommendations.

On November 26, 2018, the Senate Health Committee heard testimony on expansions to the “Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. The bill, S10/2426/A10/A3470/A3473 revises requirements to authorize and access medical cannabis, establishes institutional caregivers, revises permit requirements for Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs), and establishes additional legal protections for patients and caregivers. The Health Committee vote: Yes-7 No-1 Not Voting 1; Senate Budget Committee vote: Yes-12 No-1; Assembly: Yes-10 No-0.

Six New Dispensaries will Expand Access to Medicinal Marijuana in New Jersey.
Applications were due 8/31/18. Applicants sought community support for proposed ATC sites in Trenton, Brick, Vineland, Clayton, etc. Applicants chosen to proceed in the permitting process were announced in December. The DOH selected 6 applicants to apply for permits to grow medical marijuana and open ATCs in December 2018. This will double the number of ATCs in the state. The selected applicants are:

• NETA NJ, LLC – Phillipsburg
• GTI New Jersey, LLC – Paterson
• Verano NJ LLC – Elizabeth (Dispensary), Rahway (Cultivation Site)
• Justice Grown – Ewing
• MPX New Jersey – Atlantic City (Dispensary), Galloway (Cultivation)
• Columbia Care New Jersey – Vineland

DOH Commissioner Shereef Elnahal, M.D. conducted two grand rounds lectures in July with 300 physicians at NJ teaching hospitals to dispel myths and reduce stigma in the medical community. The medical marijuana patient population more than doubled in 2018 to almost 40,000 patients, and the physician registry expanded to around 800 physicians, though not all are taking new patients. With the expanding patient population came growing pains. Patients reported ATCs running out of certain strains, ATCs like Greenleaf arbitrarily limiting purchases to ¼ ounce/day, and ATCs running out of premium bud and offering only shake instead.

There was no response from the BME to Gov. Murphy’s Executive Order #6. CMMNJ sent an email to BME 7/3/18, but they have yet to give the courtesy of a reply.

NJ DOH MMP proposed regulations from the Division of Medicinal Marijuana were filed on May 24, 2018. CMMNJ submitted written comments on 8/17/18. CMMNJ awaits further action.

A Federal Court ruled that an Employer Need Not Waive Drug Test for Medical Marijuana User

For an overview of medical marijuana in NJ, see A beginner's guide to the process.

With CMMNJ’s encouragement, advocates attended and spoke up at local council meetings and other civic meetings throughout the state in support of marijuana reform. Jim Miller went to the Toms River council and Lefty Grimes went to many communities.

Marijuana rescheduling in New Jersey

The New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division heard oral arguments for marijuana rescheduling/descheduling in New Jersey on 11/29/16 in Trenton. Nearly a year later, in November 2017, the Appellate Court ruled that the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs (“the Division”) in the New Jersey Attorney General’s office erred when he said he lacked the authority to reclassify/reschedule/de-schedule marijuana. The Director must reconsider his decision in the “post-CUMMA era” the court said. New Jersey must recognize marijuana's medicinal value, the court insisted. The AG’s office considered an appeal of the decision to the NJ Supreme Court, but on 2/17/18 the Division announced that it will not further pursue its appeal. The Division recognizes that it has the authority to reevaluate how marijuana is classified under state law.

Accordingly, rescheduling/descheduling hearings were held by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General on 4/19/18 in Newark and on 4/24/18 in Trenton. For CMMNJ testimony, click the links. We still await summaries or other results of these hearings. CMMNJ called the NJ OAG re: results of marijuana rescheduling hearings, but there was no reply from the OAG.

At the March 2018 CMMNJ meeting, a letter was read from Steven Kadonsky #807236B, whose lawsuit prompted the rescheduling/descheduling hearings. Mr. Kadonsky is an inmate serving a life sentence at New Jersey State Prison/Trenton for a non-violent marijuana offense. He has been incarcerated at the prison for 24 years. Mr. Kadonsky’s contact information is:
Steven Kadonsky
807236B, 2 Right
New Jersey State Prison
P.O. Box 861, Trenton, NJ 08625

Marijuana reform progresses nationally, regionally and internationally

It has been said that marijuana won the 2018 midterm elections! In November 2018, Michigan voted to legalize marijuana; Utah and Missouri OK’d medical marijuana; and pot-friendly governors were elected in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, Colorado and Maine! Democrats took control of the House and vowed to stop blocking marijuana reform bills.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the Cole memo on 1/4/18, removing some protection for state marijuana laws, but Sessions was replaced as Attorney General in November.

The NJ Assembly passed Resolution 183 which told Congress to stop federal bank regulators from punishing banks that serve marijuana businesses.

California rolled out legal marijuana 1/1/18.

Medical marijuana became available for purchase in Pennsylvania on Feb. 15, 2018.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo endorsed marijuana legalization.

Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Nevada recognize any out-of-state medical marijuana ID card. NJ must protect all out-of-state patients, and seek reciprocity with other states.

A federal bill to resolve the conflict between state and federal medical marijuana laws is the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act (CARERS Act). Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), teamed up for S. 683, which now has a mix of 19 cosponsors. It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee but has not yet come up for a vote.   The identical House version H.R. 1538, introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN9) has 43 evenly-bipartisan cosponsors, but also has yet to receive a vote.

Congressional co-sponsors were also sought for Sen. Cory Booker’s federal bill the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017 (S1689) which will deschedule marijuana federally. Advocates were encouraged to take action via the Capwiz from DPA and NORML.

National Nursing Standards Legitimize Cannabis Nursing; Nurses Again Outpace Other Professions for Honesty, Ethics.

Gov. Wolf says it’s time for Pennsylvania to ‘take a serious look’ at legalizing recreational marijuana.

It's Time To Remove Cannabis From The Federal Drug Schedules

Deschedule Marijuana, Says Coalition Involving AARP, Labor Unions And NAACP

Canada just legalized pot.

Mexican Supreme Court strikes down marijuana prohibition!

A hemp bill was signed into law by Gov. Murphy. The NJ Dept. of Agriculture will start a pilot program. The federal Farm Bill also allows for hemp cultivation nationally.

Stockton University now lets students minor in marijuana.

Statehouse Podcasts/Final 2018 Statehouse Podcast:
CMMNJ sponsored and participated in a series of Statehouse demonstrations and Podcasts from April through November, going back to 2014.  The final 2018 Statehouse Podcast concluded with Thanksgiving Day lunch/clothing giveaway outside the Annex. Permits were obtained from the State Police each week for the demonstrations.  The podcasts and demonstrations called attention to the deficiencies of the MMP and the need for legalization of marijuana.

Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion Update: 
Ed Forchion’s restaurant, the "Joint" and his church, the "Liberty Bell Temple," both located across the street from Trenton’s City Hall, were visited by law enforcement officers (LEOs) on 3-5-16. This was followed by a request for an injunction to stop police harassment of these facilities. However, the facilities were instead raided by LEOs on 4-27-16 with multiple arrests and property confiscated.  Mr. Forchion was subsequently arrested again and charged with harassing a Trenton police officer. Mr. Forchion was arrested on 3/3/17 on witness tampering charges and held without bail. He remained incarcerated over a year though he had not been found guilty of any charges. At trial on the witness tampering charge, he was found not guilty of the more serious charge, but the jury was hung on the less serious charge. Incarcerated without bail awaiting retrial, Mr. Forchion considered himself a political prisoner, who is being harassed because of his outspoken advocacy for marijuana reform. Mr. Forchion was finally freed in retrial in 2018 after spending over one year in jail! His release was followed by a Victory Party/Fundraising Party at the “Joint” in Trenton on 8/5/18. Mr. Forchion uses marijuana medicinally to control the pain associated with tumors that he has on the bones in his legs. He is also a Rastafarian who uses marijuana as a part of his sincere religious beliefs.
Ed Forchion spoke at the Legislative Black Caucus meeting.

2018 CMMNJ Publications

CMMNJ Monthly Agendas and Minutes also contain links to published reports by and about CMMNJ Board members and friends.  For the 2018 CMMNJ Agendas and Minutes, see:

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for December 11, 2018 & November Minutes

November 2018:
Proposed resolution in support of legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana for adults in NJ:

CMMNJ November 13, 2018 Meeting Agenda and October Minutes

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for October 9, 2018 and September Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for September 11, 2018 and August Minutes

August 2018:
CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for August 14, 2018 and July Minutes

CMMNJ’s 8/19/18 letter-to-the-editor:  Legal marijuana would make NJ healthier, safer

Reprint: 2002 New Jersey State Nurses Association Resolution Concerning Therapeutic Marijuana:

Comments on the Proposed Regulations from the New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Medicinal Marijuana

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for July 10, 2018 and June Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for June 12, 2018 and May Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for May 8, 2018 and April Minutes

April 2018:
CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for April 10, 2018 and March Minutes

POT Comes to New Jersey—May 10 – 12, Jersey City

Deschedule Marijuana Testimony to the Office of The Attorney General, April 24, 2018

420 Trenton, NJ March and Rally

New Jersey Assembly Health Committee Testimony Re: Substitute 3437

CMMNJ’s Regulatory and Legislative Recommendations

March 2018:
CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for March 13, 2018 and February Minutes

New Jersey Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee Legislative Testimony Supporting Marijuana Reform 3/5/18

February 2018:
CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for February 13, 2018 and January Minutes

National POT Conference Coming to New Jersey in May

January 2018:
CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for January 9, 2018 and December 2017 Minutes

New Jersey Medical Marijuana Patients for Home Cultivation

CMMNJ Year End Report 2017

CMMNJ members participated in or attended the following events in 2018:

Press Conference at the Statehouse in Trenton on 1/9/18 in support of home cultivation.
CMMNJ joined MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce early in 2018.
Trenton Cannabis Community meeting on 2/7/18 at Artworks in Trenton; discussion involved marijuana reform & breaking the stigma, voter registration & other local activity, getting patients into the medical program, preparing for the new industry.
The 15th anniversary of CMMNJ’s first public event at the White Dog Café was on 3/10/18.
Leo Bridgewater attended the Black Caucus meeting in Jersey City where opponents of legalization were invited; other meetings were held 3/27 in Elizabeth & 4/24 in Atlantic City.
April 20th (420) marijuana march from City Hall to rally at State House in Trenton. 
Trenton Mayoral and council candidates’ event, 4/6 & 4/17, Trinity Cathedral, Trenton.
NJ Cannabis Commission Response to NJ Black Caucus prohibitionists: Atlantic City, 4/24/18.
CMMNJ toured pre-opening grow ops at Harmony Foundation ATC, Secaucus, NJ, 4/30/18.
Medical Marijuana Update, Mirage Care Givers Support Group, Barnegat, NJ, 4/18/18.
June 7th was the anniversary of Cheryl Miller’s death in 2003. Memorial Statehouse podcast, 6/7/18. (May 24-25 was the 25th anniversary of Jim Miller pushing his wife, Cheryl’s wheelchair across the state of New Jersey to raise awareness for medical marijuana.)
Patients Out of Time, “Cannabis: Alleviates Pain, Treats Addiction” Jersey City, 5/10–12/18
ASA Unity Conference, “End Pain, Not Lives. Make Cannabis an Option,” Washington, D.C., 5/22-25/18.
Global Marijuana March, 5/5/18 NYC, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware &.200 other cities.
Garden State Cannabis Consultants TV interview with Ken Wolski.
Trenton mayoral election, 6/12, won by Reed Gusciora, NJ’s champion of marijuana reform.
“Medical Marijuana in New Jersey” Mercer County Library, Ewing Branch, 7/18/18.
2018 Canna-Bash, Mill Hill Park, Trenton, September 8, 2018.
Leo Bridgewater at Women Grow–Flemington, Lone Eagle Brewery, 6/7/18.
Trenton Cannabis Meeting 6/6/18—radio interview with Jacque Pierre Howard.
Opioid Epidemic in NJ: Prevention and Harm Reduction, Douglass College 6/22/18.
Roots of Us LLC interviewed Ken Wolski 7/2/18.
The Grassroots Cannabis Forum, July 7th, Kennedy Park, Asbury Park.
Morristown Green Event, “Green on the Green,” 8/4/18, Morristown, NJ.
Women’s Cannabis Connection Picnic, last wknd in July, Cranbury.
Hemp Heals, July 28th.
Medical Marijuana: Implications for the Disability Community: 8/8/18 Hamilton, NJ.
NJ DOH meeting for prospective ATC owners in NJ, Trenton War Memorial, 8/9/18.
Newark Today: The Path To Legalization: July 19, Mayor Ras Baraka, State Senator Ron Rice.
NJWeedman Victory Party/Joint Fundraising Party, Trenton, 8/5/18.
Ignorance is No Excuse Tour goes to Hightstown.
Cannabis unleashed; NJ Alternative Medicine, Cherry Hill.
“Cannabis in your Community” MCCC Trenton 10/10/18 by Trenton Cannabis Community.
#StillWaiting videos.
Thanksgiving Day Statehouse podcast & food/clothing giveaway.
Brick Zoning Board hearing resumes 11/19/18.
Can CBD Help You? Woodbridge, NJ, 11/8,
CannaGather industry meeting, Trenton, NJ, 10/30/18.
Marijuana Town Halls, Plainfield, NJ, 10/17, Asbury Park, 10/24, Bloomfield, NJ 10/27, and Princeton 10/29.
Portuguese Drug Czar’s decriminalization talk, Asbury Park, NJ, 10/5/18, Help Not Handcuffs.
“Green on the Morristown Green” 10/20/18 was cancelled by the Morristown Green Trustees!
Everything About Medicinal Marijuana, 12/12, Lawrence Twp.

Web site update: Amanda is working with Nick & Mike to OK changes made by Brian.

CMMNJ TV: “CMMNJ TV” began taping episodes at Princeton Community TV on 11/11/14 and continued throughout 2017, finally stopping in 2018.

Thanks to CMMNJ Volunteers 

On behalf of the Board of Directors of CMMNJ, I would like to thank all of our supporters for their tireless efforts and contributions throughout the year.  As we are an all-volunteer organization, we are nothing without you!  Special thanks go to

• volunteer administrators who moderate the many discussions on Facebook’s Friends of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana-NJ; 
• activists who spoke out at community meetings to dispel marijuana stigmas; and,
• activists who contacted the media and elected officials for marijuana reform.

CMMNJ 2018 Board Update

Formal meetings of the CMMNJ Board of Directors were held on January 5, July 25, and November 24, 2018. Michael Brennan was voted onto the CMMNJ Board at the November meeting. At the close of 2018, the CMMNJ Board consists of the following 11 people: Kenneth R. Wolski, RN, Executive Director; James Miller, Senior Director; Edward R. Hannaman, Esq., Secretary; Nick Mellis, Peter Rosenfeld, Vanessa Waltz, Larry Vargo, Amanda Hoffman, Jo Anne Zito and Philippe Dume and Michael Brennan.

CMMNJ’s Honorary Board Member is Allan Marain, Esq.

Treasury Report

A detailed treasury report was forwarded to CMMNJ Board members.  In summary, in 2018 CMMNJ had expenditures of $4,627 and income of $5,562.  CMMNJ finished the year with a checking account balance of $4,924 and a PayPal account balance of $2,668 for a grand total of $7592.

CMMNJ still has almost 50,000 all hemp wristbands and necklaces that were donated to our organization. The multicolored bands were made in Romania. The suggested price is $1 apiece.  Wholesale prices are available.

CMMNJ is grateful for the generous financial support of all who contributed to our mission to educate the public about the benefits of medical marijuana. CMMNJ is especially grateful to those who contributed anonymously through Network for Good, whose donations totaled $1,790 in 2018. Ken's September 2018 Birthday Facebook Fundraiser for CMMNJ raised $425.

CMMNJ’s 2019 Recommendations

• Continue to build support for legalization of marijuana in New Jersey.
• Implement a timely legalization program that brings affordable, high quality marijuana to New Jersey adults in an appropriately regulated fashion.
• CMMNJ renews its annual call for national clinical trials of marijuana. 
• Deschedule marijuana, both in New Jersey and nationally. 
• Continue to expand New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana Program by adding qualifying conditions and allowing home cultivation. 
• Attend upcoming marijuana-related educational conferences.

Schedule of CMMNJ 2019 meetings  

CMMNJ’s free, public meetings will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of each month in 2019 from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Branch of the Mercer County Library, Room # 2 or #3. (Meeting at the library does not imply the county’s endorsement of our issue.)

Follow CMMNJ on Facebook at,
Friends of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana-NJ
or,
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618 
(609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com kenwolski@gmail.com
January 4, 2019


Below is Paul Armentano’s guest column submission to the Asbury Park Press in response to the March 8, 2018 editorial (“NJ marijuana legalization: Take a sober look at legal weed”):


When It Comes To Legalizing Cannabis — You Have Questions, We Have Answers

by Paul Armentano

Editors pose several valid questions with regard to adult use marijuana regulation and its effects on public safety (“NJ marijuana legalization: Take a sober look at legal weed,” March 8). Specifically, they inquire about the impact of these regulations on teen use, traffic safety, and economic revenue. Fortunately, we have ample data from other jurisdictions that provide answers to these questions.

ADOLESCENT USE

Writing in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Boston University scientists conclude, "We can state with some confidence that, even in states that have enacted marijuana liberalization policies, marijuana use among adolescents is not currently increasing. In fact, there is rather compelling evidence that adolescent marijuana use has steadily declined.” Specifically, in Colorado, "For adults and adolescents, past-month marijuana use has not changed since legalization either in terms of the number of people using or the frequency of use among users. Based on the most comprehensive data available, past month marijuana use among Colorado adolescents is nearly identical to the national average.” So concluded the Colorado Department of Public Health in 2017. According to the Oregon Health Authority, "Recent trends in youth use have been stable.” In Washington, according to data released last year by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, rates of current marijuana use and lifetime marijuana use have fallen among young people post-legalization. These declines were most pronounced among 8th and 10th graders. Researchers concluded: "We found no evidence that I-502 enactment, on the whole, affected cannabis abuse treatment admissions. ... [and] we found no evidence that the amount of legal cannabis sales affected youth substance use or attitudes about cannabis or drug-related criminal convictions.”

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Data from states that have liberalized marijuana’s legal status show no uptick in motor vehicle crashes. Writing in the August 2017 edition of The American Journal of Public Health, University of Texas researchers compared traffic crash data in the three years prior to the enactment of adult use legalization in Colorado and Washington versus data trends in the three years immediately following legalization. “We found no significant association between recreational marijuana legalization in Washington and Colorado and subsequent changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates in the first three years after recreational marijuana legalization,” they concluded. They further reported, “[W]e also found no association between recreational marijuana legalization and total crash rates when analyzing available state-reported non-fatal crash statistics.”

Investigators also compared traffic safety trends in Colorado and Washington versus eight control states that had not altered their marijuana laws. They concluded, “[C]hanges in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were not statistically different from those in similar states without creational marijuana legalization.”

TAX REVENUE

Adults use regulatory schemes are associated with increased tax revenue and job creation. A 2017 state by state analysis by content provider Leafly.com identified 149,304 full-time jobs in the legal cannabis sector. According to data compiled by ZipRecruiter.com, the total number of industry job posts increased by 445% in 2017. Year over year growth of job posts in the cannabis industry is outpacing both tech (254% growth) and healthcare (70% growth). In Colorado, cannabis-specific taxes and fees have yielded $506,143,635 in state revenue since January 1, 2014 — a total that well exceeds initial projections. Cannabis sales in Washington state continue to grow at a steady rate, with total 2017 sales topping $1.1 billion at the end of September. In October, Nevada's recreational marijuana industry hit a new high, selling more than $37.9 million that month alone. The state has earned nearly $20 million in marijuana tax revenue since the adult-use market launched in July, according to Forbes Magazine.


Real world experience from other states indicate that cannabis use and sales can be regulated in a manner that increase revenue while also promoting social justice and public safety. State lawmakers should welcome the opportunity to bring necessary and long overdue controls to the marijuana market. A pragmatic framework regulating adult use, but that continues to restrict marijuana use and access by young people, best reduces the risks associated with the plant's misuse. By contrast, advocating for the marijuana’s continued criminalization only compounds them.

Regards,

Paul Armentano
NORML Deputy Director
paul@norml.org

For those interested in the source materials/citations for these studies and related papers, these fact-sheets address these and related issues in further details:

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-regulation-impact-on-health-safety-economy

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/relationship-between-marijuana-and-opioids

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-regulation-and-teen-use-rates

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-regulation-and-crime-rates

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/societal-impacts-of-cannabis-dispensaries-retailers

http://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-legalization-and-impact-on-the-workplace

CMMNJ December 2015 Agenda

Monthly Public Meeting Agenda 
Lawrence Township Library, Room #3
Tuesday, December 8, 2015, 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM 

Approve November 2015 minutes.  Discuss:

Historic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to legalize marijuana for adults in NJ, 11/16/15, with NJUMR Press Conference, and Die In at the State House, Trenton.

Gov. Christie signed A4587 on 11/9/15—Requires schools to permit medical marijuana use by qualifying patients.  Barbour lawsuit continues to have nurses administer it.

Upcoming Events: Jon Peditto sentencing 12/23, Toms River--faces 10 year minimum.
Obama: Fire DEA head for calling medical marijuana a joke--over 100,000 agree.
Food & clothing drive, "NJ Weedman's Joint" 322 E. State St., Trenton, until 12/19.

Recent events: “CMMNJ TV” taping 12/1/15 at Princeton Community TV Studio.
"Ethical Decisions & Medical Marijuana" TREC Conference, Burlco College, 11/10/15.
2015 Reform Conference, 11/18-21/15, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.
Roland Ramos scheduling events in Newark galleries 11/12, 11/15 & 11/29.
Thursday Statehouse Podcasts--party marking suspension of regular podcasts 11/19.
Breakwater ATC opened in Cranbury, NJ on 10/15, making a total of 5 ATCs in NJ.
Legalization Resolution tabled by Trenton City Council on 11/5/15; Voorhees, Camden?

Treasury report: Checking: $2527; PayPal: $3626. Multicolored hemp bands from Romania--Suggested retail price: $3/apiece; 2 for $5.  Wholesale prices are available.

CMMNJ's 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, (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org   Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/62462971150/?fref=ts

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

Monthly Public Meeting Minutes 
November 10, 2015 

Nov. 2015--CMMNJ celebrates 10 years of meeting at the Lawrence Library!

Gov. Christie signed A4587 on 11/9/15—Requires schools to permit medical marijuana use by qualifying patients.  Barbour lawsuit continues to have nurses administer it.

CMMNJ poll of legislators' opinion on marijuana reform--no replies.

Upcoming Events: This Veteran's Day, Don't Thank Us, HELP US!
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to legalize marijuana for adults in NJ, 11/16.
2015 Reform Conference, 11/18-21/15, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.
Roland Ramos scheduling events in Newark galleries 11/12, 11/15 & 11/29.
Thursday Statehouse Podcasts  11am-2pm: see Facebook “Friends of CMMNJ” or Sativa Cross for details. “Magic Butter Machine” raffled off monthly--retail value $200.
TREC Conference Burlington County Conference, 11/10/15.

Recent events: ACLU NJ Annual Meeting, Princeton, NJ 10/20/15.
Jon Peditto Guilty! Faces 10 year mandatory minimum 12/23; no mercy in Toms River.
Philadelphia Veterans Protest with Mike Whiter, Independence Hall, noon, 11/8/15.
Breakwater ATC opened in Cranbury, NJ on 10/15, making a total of 5 ATCs in NJ.
Bob Kane and the Irish legislature's support for harm reduction.
Paul Abramson, Mid-Atlantic rep of MJBA trade assn. gave an update on his company.
Trenton Resolution to legalize marijuana tabled by City Council on 11/5/15.
“CMMNJ TV” October taping cancelled--no guests.  December 1 taping scheduled.

Treasury report: Checking: $2506; PayPal: $3626. Multicolored hemp bands from Romania--Suggested retail price: $3/apiece; 2 for $5.  Wholesale prices are available.

More info: 
Ken Wolski, RN
(609) 394-2137
ohamkrw@aol.com
http://www.cmmnj.org

Recent Media Coverage and Blogs:

Mounting Pressure on DEA Head to Resign for Calling Medical Marijuana “A Joke”
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2015/50045/mounting-pressure-on-dea-head-to-resign-for-calling-medical-marijuana-a-joke/

Congressman Calls For DEA Chief's Removal After He Calls Medical Marijuana A 'Joke'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/earl-blumenauer-dea-chief_564ca653e4b06037734be861

Drug War Statistics
http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-war-statistics

New Jersey Teen with Epilepsy and Autism Wins Right to Take Medical Marijuana at School
http://www.people.com/article/new-jersey-teen-genny-barbour-wins-fight-medical-marijuana-school

Marijuana Mercy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVzbgzGcSVE

Testimony to the NJ Senate Judiciary Committee in support of legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana for adults
http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2015/11/testimony-to-nj-senate-judiciary.html

CMMNJ BY SativaCross.com 11/16 PART TWO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zosX9ezhR2M

Pro Cannabis Senator Won't Back Down from Battle with Chris Christie
https://www.civilized.life/new-jersey-senate-hearing-on-legalization-1462215467.html

Should N.J. legalize marijuana? See what top lawmakers say
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/should_nj_legalize_marijuana_top_lawmakers_are_split.html

Overheard at This Week’s Marijuana Hearing
http://politickernj.com/2015/11/overheard-at-this-weeks-marijuana-hearing/

NJ Lawmakers Consider Marijuana Legalization
http://www.njlawjournal.com/id=1202742569099/NJ-Lawmakers-Consider-Marijuana-Legalization?slreturn=20151027140418#ixzz3sENRdkWE

NJ Weedman’s Passing the Joint: Free all pot prisoners first
http://www.trentonian.com/opinion/20151119/nj-weedmans-passing-the-joint-free-all-pot-prisoners-first

Nov. 16, 2015: NJTV News (coverage--3 minutes worth--starts at the 11:15 mark)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2Z25i4Kow

With Trenton hearing, legal pot movement goes mainstream
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/new-jersey/2015/11/8583119/trenton-hearing-legal-pot-movement-goes-mainstream

BATTLE OVER LEGALIZING MARIJUANA TAKING SHAPE IN NEW JERSEY
http://6abc.com/news/battle-over-legalizing-marijuana-taking-shape-in-new-jersey/1087331/

Legalize recreational marijuana in N.J.? Supporters to pitch for it at hearing
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/marijuana_legalization_supporters_will_testify_at.html

CMMNJ TV: James Babb--Jury Nullification
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsiyrPtNwBc

BILL CARUSO/CHRIS GOLDSTEIN ON CMMNJ SATIVACROSS.COM PODDCAST
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/77529685/highlight/666923

Philly420: N.J. marijuana arrests increasing as senator eyes legalization
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/Philly420_NJ_marijuana_arrests_increasing_as_senator_eyes_legalization.html#WV6YuiJa2K4dvKGl.99

Cannabis Legalization Back on the Agenda at Senate Hearing
http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/cannabis-legalization-back-on-the-agenda-at-senate-hearing/

The DEA has failed to eradicate marijuana. Now Congress wants it to stop trying.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/27/the-dea-has-failed-to-eradicate-marijuana-now-congress-wants-it-to-stop-trying/?postshare=4741448652492534&tid=ss_fb-bottom

STUDY: Medical Marijuana Is Safe Long-Term
http://growcompare.eu/study-medical-marijuana-is-safe-long-term/

STUDY: Marijuana Users 50% Less Likely To Develop Metabolic Syndrome
http://growcompare.eu/study-marijuana-users-50-percent-less-likely-to-develop-metabolic-syndrome/

Cannabis for the Treatment of Cancer
by Justin Kander
http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Cannabis_and_Cancer_ARblog_081115.pdf

Trudeau Gives Justice Minister Mandate To Legalize Cannabis
https://www.civilized.life/trudeau-gives-justice-minister-mandate-to-legalize-1453717497.html

CMMNJ BY SativaCross.com 11/19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMsaGbVW0Lk

LTE in the "New Jersey Monthly" December 2015 issue (not available online):

"NEXT EXIT: MARIJUANA"

In Steve Abudato’s column, “Heroin: An Uphill Battle” (November 2015) he neglects to mention another weapon in the battle against opioid overdose deaths—marijuana. The Journal of the American Medical Association noted in 2014 that, "States with medical cannabis laws had a 24.8 percent lower mean annual opioid overdose mortality rate compared with states without medical cannabis laws."* (New Jersey’s anemic medical marijuana program was not included in the survey.)

Far from being a “gateway” drug, marijuana is actually an “exit drug”—it serves as a substitute and helps to wean people off more dangerous and addicting prescription drugs, street drugs and even alcohol.

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA
Executive Director
Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.
Trenton

*Bachhuber et al. Medical Cannabis Laws and Opioid Analgesic Overdose Mortality in the United States, 1999-2010. JAMA Intern Med. 2014.