CMMNJ Year End Report 2022

New Jersey Highlights of 2022

Cannabis legalization

Legal, adult use sales of cannabis began in New Jersey on 4/21/22!. The first month of sales (4/21/22 – 5/21/22) equaled $24M with 212,000 transactions. Cannabis is the No. 1 cash crop in NJ, and the 6th largest in the U.S. ($5B in 2022). NJ cannabis arrests plummet.

Governor Phil Murphy began his second term with an inauguration on January 18. “The main goals of our administration’s cannabis reform efforts have always been to promote social justice and reverse decades of disparate treatment of minority and low-income New Jerseyans because of the failed War on Drugs,” the governor said on 2/22/22, marking one year since he signed cannabis legalization laws in the state.

The tenth anniversary of legal sales of medical marijuana in New Jersey was on 12-6-22. The twelfth anniversary of New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act becoming law was on 1-18-22. In 2021, New Jersey became the 13th US state to fully legalize marijuana.

On July 1, NJ state sales tax was eliminated for medical cannabis purchases. But municipalities may continue to charge a 2% tax on dispensary sales.

January 11, 2022 marked the start of the new, two-year legislative session in New Jersey. All bills from the previous session that did not pass into law had to be re-introduced and given new numbers. These lawmakers will deal with the cannabis bills: Senate Chamber Seating and Assembly Chamber Seating.

CMMNJ’s medical cannabis goals include insurance coverage; home cultivation rights; hospital & institutional access; and expanded qualifying conditions. 

Insurance Coverage for Medical Cannabis:

Medical Cannabis Insurance bills in the NJ legislature in 2022:

• S313/A3248: Costs of medical cannabis to be reimbursed by Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund, PAAD, Senior Gold and VCCO. The bills passed both Health Committees and are in the Senate and Assembly Budget and Oversight Committees. 
• S309/A3511: Requires workers' compensation, PIP, and health insurance coverage. 
• S782/A3932: Subsidize medical cannabis in Medicaid or NJ Family Care.

The Senate Health Committee unanimously passed the Medical Cannabis Insurance bill S313 at its hearing on 3/10/22. See: CMMNJ’s testimony in support of S313. 

Insurance coverage for medical cannabis will have profoundly positive effects. When passed into law, these bills will reduce healthcare costs in the state because cannabis stabilizes multiple conditions in individuals. Greater access to cannabis therapy will result in fewer hospitalizations, fewer surgical procedures, and fewer emergency room visits. It will greatly increase the number of patients who can use this therapeutic modality. Insurance coverage will lower healthcare costs in the state and will produce a healthier New Jersey.

Home Grow:

CMMNJ Board members continued to work for a home cultivation program throughout 2022. We encouraged NJ residents to urge their legislators to support these bills and conduct legislative hearings on them. By the end of the year, over 3,300 people had signed the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. This campaign includes a web site, Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw.  

The home grow bills in the NJ legislature in 2022 include:

• S342/A997: Authorizes home cultivation of medical cannabis.
• A1422: Legalizes possession of six marijuana plants for personal use.
• S353/A3657: Legalizes six plants for personal use and 10 plants for medical.

Gov. Murphy said NJ should “revisit” criminalization of homegrown marijuana for personal use—but after the commercial market has matured

NJ’s bill subscription service allows you to create a list of bills, track legislative action & stay up to date on topics you care about.  

Hospital and Institutional Access: 

NJ patients in hospitals, nursing homes, state institutions, group homes and hospice are unable to access medical cannabis. NJ Disabled American Veteran and marijuana reform activist Dan Brady died in a South Jersey nursing home on 7/22/22, unable to access the medical cannabis he was entitled to as a hospice patient. He suffered needlessly, as did his family and friends, as a result. Patient outcomes would improve, and health care costs would be reduced if these patients had access to medical cannabis. Implement the Jake Honig law’s Institutional Caregivers to accomplish this!

Expand qualifying conditions:

CMMNJ urged the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) to allow anyone with prescriptive privileges in New Jersey to recommend cannabis therapy for ANY condition that the prescriber feels may be helped by medical cannabis. 

Workplace issues: 

In Hunt v. Matthews a NJ plaintiff alleges that the employer refused to hire him after a pre-employment drug screen had a positive THC result and he disclosed his status as a licensed medical marijuana patient. The CRC issued guidelines for workplace impairment.

Psilocybin Legalization Bill: 

NJ Senate President Files Psilocybin Legalization Bill; CMMNJ Board of Directors endorsed Bill S2934, Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act. SoundMind, a psychedelic therapy and training center, has launched Veteran Peer Support Model to help veterans address a variety of mental health conditions.  

Cannabis Certification Classes are at 8 NJ Community Colleges.

Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC):

Sam Delgado, Krista Nash, Maria Del Cid, Charles Barker, Dianna Houenou, Chair, & Jeff Brown, Executive Director complete the 6-member CRC. The CRC licenses, and oversees the licenses for, six different sectors of the cannabis economy: cultivator, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, retailer, and deliverer. There will also be licenses set aside for “microbusinesses” with 10 or fewer employees, and for minority, women, and disabled-veteran owned businesses. 

The highest priority is given to “Social Equity Businesses, diversely-owned businesses, microbusinesses, and conditional license applicants” when being reviewed--applicants who were previously convicted for cannabis crimes, live in “economically disadvantaged areas,” or fit the criteria of minority, women, or disabled-veteran owned businesses. By 12/8/22, the CRC awarded 505 conditional cannabis licenses. 

In 2022, eleven CRC meetings were held, in addition to Regional Hearings. 

On March 15, 2022, the CRC began accepting applications for dispensaries to sell marijuana to anyone over 21. By 4 p.m., 172 applications had been filed. On March 24 the CRC approved 68 conditional licenses for recreational growers and manufacturers, but tabled a vote on allowing existing ATCs to begin selling marijuana to recreational customers. Sen. Nick Scutari called for hearings into NJ legal weed delays. The CRC held a special meeting on April 11, where they considered certifications for expanded ATCs. Delays not unusual? 

Emerging Social Equity Concerns in New Jersey. 

The CRC approved the legal, adult use sales of cannabis to begin at seven ATCs in NJ on 4/21/22!

Trichome Analytical, NJ’s first accredited cannabis and hemp testing lab, won the state’s first annual testing license, License #TL000001, in the adult-use program. 

Five ATCs were fined $360K for selling to adult use customers during patient-only hours in NJ’s legal weed launch

Ewing ATC, BLOC, opened with hopes of selling adult weed in the fall.

As of September 12, a patient account is necessary to participate in the Medicinal Cannabis Program and to renew your ID card. 

The social equity excise fee will direct money to communities hardest hit by the War on Drugs. Which programs will these fees go to? The CRC wants to hear from you. Three virtual meetings were held for residents and organizations on 11/15; 11/16; and on 11/17.  The next hearings on this issue will be on 1/10/23 and 1/18/23 at 7 pm. CMMNJ endorsed ACLU-NJ’s recommendations for CRC’s proposed rules. The state laid out plans for how to spend its money. 

The CRC recommended the state’s Department of the Treasury fund the Cannabis Training Academy to provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs establishing cannabis businesses within the state. 

At its 12/3/22 meeting, the CRC approved 113 conditional adult-use cannabis license applications, six conversions, eight annual applications, and Harmony’s medical cannabis dispensary expansion to adult-use cannabis. 

Ascend Fort Lee became the 21st store in NJ to offer recreational cannabis when it opened for adult use sales on November 17. Find an adult use ATC in NJ. 

The CRC approved rules for indoor and outdoor Cannabis Consumption Areas.

The Trenton City Council:

Following the recommendation of the Trenton Cannabis Advisory Committee, City Council approved WOAH FLOW’s ATC application on 12/1/22, the first cannabis business approved in the city. State regulations require a resolution of support from the governing body of a municipality, approving the cannabis business operation. The state also requires approval from the local zoning and/or planning board.

National issues and Federal Drug Policy Reform: 

Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize cannabis for adults on 5/25/22! In November 2022, Maryland and Missouri joined the states that legalized marijuana.

In New York State on 12/29/22, it became legal for anyone over 21 to buy cannabis.

Recreational cannabis sales to start in Connecticut Jan. 10, 2023. 

President Joe Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, the first standalone marijuana reform legislation ever sent to the president’s desk. The Congressional Cannabis Caucus said: “For decades, the federal government has stood in the way of science and progress—peddling a misguided and discriminatory approach to cannabis.”

On October 6, 2022, President Biden pardoned federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses. Biden urged all Governors to do the same for state offenses. Biden also directed a review of how marijuana is Schedule I under the federal Controlled Substances Act. “This is a high point,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

The U.S. Supreme Court was asked to decide if employers can be forced to reimburse workers for the cost of medical cannabis used to treat job-related injuries. State courts have come to differing conclusions on the issue.

David Borden from StopTheDrugWar.org said: “2022 ended with the disappointing delay again of marijuana policy reform measures in Congress. One of those was the SAFE Banking Act. Our groundbreaking report released a few weeks ago on armed robberies of marijuana stores shows how important it is, for cannabusinesses” to have access to financial services.

In the November 2022 Midterm Elections Senator Fetterman was elected in Pennsylvania, which means we now have a tristate area of federal pro-cannabis legislators.

On 7/21/22, New Jersey’s U.S. Senator Cory Booker introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act entirely. Sen. Booker said, “Federal marijuana prohibition is beginning to be more and more absurd.” 

The Senate confirmed Dr. Shareef Elnahal as VA undersecretary of health. @ShereefElnahal said: Marijuana needs to be descheduled at the federal level. We are stuck with: 

• Scant research funding 
• Limited to no access in hospitals/nursing homes 
• High costs for patients.

In a Gallup poll, a record 68% of Americans support legalizing cannabis, with 32% in opposition. (NJ’s numbers for the 11/20 ballot question to legalize cannabis—67% to 32%!)

The U.S. Department of Justice said medical marijuana users are unfit to possess firearms.  A federal judge agreed that people who use marijuana are engaging in criminal activity at the federal level and there’s precedent to deny them the right to have firearms.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to federally legalize marijuana (the MORE Act). The vote (220-204) fell along party lines with only three Republicans supporting the measure and two Democrats opposing it. The bill heads to the Senate, where Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) will file his own cannabis bill.

The U.S. Senate voted to expand research into cannabis to see if there are any medical benefit. Marijuana could be a way to combat the opioid epidemic.  

“Cannabis workers will be pursuing union representation not only in NJ, but around the nation:” Hugh Giordano, UFCW Local 360.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) promotes access to psychedelics for their therapeutic potential. He seeks to clarify that the Right to Try law means that patients with terminal health conditions can obtain and use Schedule I controlled substances.

NORML’s Paul Armentano discussed developments in State Cannabis Laws and Cannabis Reforms at the Federal Level.

Kansas hospital-room raid busts dying man for using marijuana at Christmastime. Police dismissed the ticket. Police Chief: “We shouldn’t have laws on the books that we don’t want enforced, and if we want to help people, we have to address this issue.” 

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) report on State Medical Marijuana Laws.

Cannabis Scientist Raphael Mechoulam’s 92nd birthday was 11/5/22. He is one of the greatest cannabinoid researchers and is still at it in Hebrew University, Jerusalem. 

2022 CMMNJ Publications

In 2022, CMMNJ held ten free, public meetings on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM via Zoom conferences.  Meetings were not held in March or July 2022.

CMMNJ Monthly Agendas and Minutes also contain links to published reports by and about CMMNJ Board members and friends.  For the CMMNJ Agendas and Minutes, see the CMMNJ blog. May 16, 2022 was the 13th anniversary of the CMMNJ blog.

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for December 13, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/12/cmmnj-monthly-meeting-agenda-for.html

CMMNJ November 15, 2022 Meeting Agenda: 

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/11/cmmnj-public-zoom-meeting-for-november.html

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for October 11, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/10/october-11-2022-cmmnj-public-meeting.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for September 13, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/09/cmmnj-september-13-2022-public-meeting.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for August 9, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/07/cmmnj-zoom-meeting-agenda-for-august-9.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for June 14, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/06/june14-2022-public-zoom-meeting-agenda.html

CMMNJ Urges Veto Override of Delaware’s HB 371

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/06/cmmnj-urges-veto-override-of-delawares.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda May 10, 2021:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/05/cmmnj-monthly-meeting-agenda-for-may-10.html

Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee Concerning the implementation of recreational cannabis in New Jersey

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/05/testimony-to-senate-judiciary-committee.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for April 12, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/04/cmmnj-monthly-meeting-agenda-for-april.html

Senate Health Committee Testimony in Support of S313: insurance coverage for medical marijuana

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/04/senate-health-committee-testimony-in.html

Testimony to the NJ CRC March 24, 2022, (oral testimony at 1:40:03) on: 

• Medical conditions that should be added to the Medicinal Cannabis Program
• Patient education/counseling needs
• Medicinal product expiration dates

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/04/crc-testimony-march-24-2022.html

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for February 8, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/02/

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for January 11, 2022:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/01/cmmnj-public-meeting-agenda-for-jan-11.html

CMMNJ Year End Report 2021:

http://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2022/01/cmmnj-year-end-report-for-2021.html

CMMNJ events and stories in 2022

CMMNJ volunteer Slava Rabinovitch frequently tabled at the New Brunswick train station.

Cannabusiness Info Session, 1/6/22.

An Afternoon of Cannabis with Heady NJ! S. Hackensack, 1/9/22

Jo Anne Zito’s Op Ed: “Why the delay on hearings for homegrown cannabis? Medical advocate says it’s N.J. politics. | Opinion”

Ken Wolski’s Trentonian LTE: “Better city government possible: marijuana legalization is the key”

CMMNJ had frequent contact with the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA) after the roll-out of adult use sales, to ensure access to medical cannabis was the priority in NJ.

Stockton U. Cannabis Job Fair and Business Expo

Growing Equity: Healing from Prohibition in Princeton, Chris Goldstein

New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) Lunch and Learn 4/1/22.

Trenton, NJ State House Demonstration with Sativa Cross, April 20, 2022.

DFCR Webinar: “Cannabis and the Opioid Crisis” 6/22/22. 

Cannabis Patient Awareness Day/NJ Cannabis Cup! Trenton, 7/10/22.

SHORE GROW Patient Aid fundraiser, 3329A Doris Ave., Ocean NJ, 8/20/22.

Pennington Day, 5/21. 

New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) Lunch and Learn: “New Jersey Cannabis History - The Patient Advocacy Path to Legalization.” 

OVERRIDE THE LEGALIZATION VETO! Rally, Dover, DE, 6/7/22.

HGRNJ and Ken Wolski discuss Legalization of Cannabis in New Jersey, 4/21/22.

NE CANN, Atlantic City, 9/9&10/22;    

420 Expo, Edison, NJ, 9/16-18/22.

Delaware Weedstock, 9/30- 10/2.

HeadyNJ: Cannabis Policy Discussion Hackensack, NJ 9/25. 

TCNJ Community Fest, Ewing, 9/24

CMMNJ testimony on 9/29/22 to the Assembly Committee in support of A3946, a bill to allow business deductions for cannabis companies licensed and regulated by NJ.

CannaBash, Trenton, 10/8/22.

CannaOne, Edison, 10/10 -10/12. CMMNJ presentation 10/12.

National Hispanic Cannabis Council, Jersey City, City Hall, 10/15.

Home Grow Lobby Day, Trenton State House, 10/27.

F.E.M. PREAACH - Psychedelics Panel, Stockton U., 11/12/22 Live panel of psychedelics experts recruited by CMMNJ Board member Gaetano Lardieri followed by over 30 recorded 5-minute segments covering psychedelics from multiple angles.

Heady NJ: Cannabis Gathering, UFCW Union Hall, West Berlin, 11/12/22.

Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo, Parsippany, 10/17 – 19. 

Heady NJ: Cannabis Gathering, UFCW Union Hall, West Berlin, 11/12.

Ewing FOP: Marijuana Presentation, Ewing Hollowbrook Center 11/9.

Thanksgiving Giveaway, State House, Trenton, 11/24.

The 20th anniversary of CMMNJ’s first public event at the White Dog Café will be on 3/10/23.

The 20th anniversary of the death of Cheryl Miller, the multiple sclerosis patient, early NJ medicinal marijuana activist, and wife of CMMNJ co-founder Jim Miller, will be on 6/7/23.

Thanks to CMMNJ Volunteers

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

CMMNJ 2022 Board Update

Frequent Board discussions were conducted by group emails and messages in addition to formal Board meetings during 2022. 

CMMNJ had seven (7) Board members on Insider NJ’s 2022 Cannabis Power List: Ken Wolski #6, JoAnne Zito #26, Jim & Cheryl Miller #28, Amanda Hoffman #55, Peter Rosenfeld #65, Guy Lardieri #72, and Mike Brennan #82.

Ken Wolski is now chairman of Trenton’s Cannabis Advisory Committee. 

At the close of the year, the CMMNJ Board consists of the following 10 people: 

1. Kenneth R. Wolski, RN, Executive Director; 
2. James Miller, President;  
3. Edward R. Hannaman, Esq., Secretary; 
4. Nick Mellis; 
5. Peter Rosenfeld; 
6. Larry Vargo;
7. Amanda Hoffman;
8. Jo Anne Zito; 
9. Gaetano Lardieri; 
10. Michael Brennan; and,

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

Treasury Report

In 2022 CMMNJ began the year with a balance of $11,809. CMMNJ finished the year with a checking account balance of $13,007, for a gain of $1,198.

The SHORE GROW Patient Aid fundraiser on 8/20/22 raised over $1,700 for CMMNJ.

Curaleaf ATC’s raised $3,000 in donations for CMMNJ. CMMNJ has a small display of our free, colorful, all-hemp bracelets, where business patrons can make donations to CMMNJ. We are deeply grateful to these organizations for their support.

CMMNJ still has almost 50,000 hemp wristbands/necklaces/keychains 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. This includes those who contributed anonymously through Network for Good. Many people also generously donated their time, their professional and personal services, office space, supplies, etc. to CMMNJ.

CMMNJ Looking Ahead

• Allow registered patients in the NJ MMP to grow a limited supply of cannabis.
• Implement insurance coverage for medical cannabis.
• Fully implement the Jake Honig law.
• Ensure that the adult use program brings affordable, high-quality marijuana in an appropriately regulated, socially just way, without negatively impacting patient access to medical cannabis. 
• CMMNJ renews its annual call for national clinical trials of marijuana.
• Deschedule marijuana completely, both in New Jersey and nationally.

Follow CMMNJ 

CMMNJ’s public meetings for 2023 will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 pm via Zoom. All are welcome at these meetings and there is never a charge to attend. CMMNJ sent the agendas for these meetings via e-mail to over 1000 supporters each month and posted the agendas on Facebook, Twitter and on the CMMNJ blog. To receive the agendas, sign up at: https://www.cmmnj.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78&Itemid=113

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 all qualified New Jersey patients. March 10, 2022 was the 19th anniversary of the founding of CMMNJ.

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

Facebook: Friends of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana-NJ, or, Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Twitter: @CMM_NJ

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

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director

Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc. https://www.cmmnj.org/

219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618  

(609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com kenwolski@gmail.com

January 4, 2022

CMMNJ Year End Report 2020

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, Inc. (CMMNJ) is a non-profit educational organization incorporated in the State of New Jersey and recognized by the federal government as a 501(c)(3) public charity. 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 New Jersey patients. March 10, 2020 was the 17th anniversary of the founding of CMMNJ.

CMMNJ’s public meetings for 2021 will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 pm via Zoom until further notice. All are welcome at these meetings and there is never a charge to attend. 

New Jersey Highlights of 2020

Voters agreed to legalize cannabis in New Jersey. The Final Election Results from November 3, 2020 on Question 1, a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis for personal, non-medical use by adults who are age 21 years or older, subject to regulation by Cannabis Regulatory Commission, effective 1/1/21:

YES - 2,737,682 (67.08%)

NO - 1,343,610 (32.92%)

(As of 12/8/20 with 6,348 of 6,348 Precincts Reporting - 100%)

Home Cultivation: Visit the website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw.  Sign the petition for Home cultivation for patients: Let Patients Grow NJ.

The Medical Marijuana Program continues to expand with the Murphy administration, but additional ATCs are held up by legal challenges, and the 2019 Jake Honig law has yet to be fully implemented.

Marijuana reform made progress nationally and regionally.

CMMNJ supports Patients Out of Time’s coalition to deschedule cannabis.

Cannabis legalization

In 2014, CMMNJ’s Board of Directors endorsed legalization of marijuana since legalization is the best way to get this essential medicine to the most people. Legalization is also an important step in undoing the harms to society that are caused by our current policy of drug prohibition.

The New Jersey Legislature was unable to pass a marijuana legalization bill in 2019. Instead, cannabis legalization in NJ would be decided by a ballot question on November 3, 2020. The Constitutional Amendment that appeared on the ballot, SCR183/ACR840, passed in the Senate (24-16) and in the Assembly (49-24-1) on 12/16/2019, after Senate and Assembly hearings on 12/12/19. 

By March 2020, CMMNJ started a “Get Out the Vote” (GOTV) campaign. CMMNJ joined with HeadCount’s Cannabis Voter Project  and urged residents to text CANNA to 40649 or text WEVOTE to 40649. We urged residents to plant the seeds of change and #growyourpower; and to talk to elected officials about cannabis reform.

In April, CMMNJ began sending letters to all NJ colleges and universities in the state as part of our Get Out the Vote campaign.  We asked higher education administrators for their support in our efforts. It was a challenging time because no one knew for sure if there would even be students on campus in the fall. Nevertheless, we got some encouraging replies from various academic administration members. CMMNJ volunteer Dee Carnegia forwarded CMMNJ’s letter, GOTV at Princeton U, to about 50 NJ colleges and universities and she kept track of our efforts and followed up with emails and telephone contacts where appropriate. Another CMMNJ volunteer, Tracey McHugh, reached out to fraternities and sororities in the state with the same GOTV message.

An April poll showed 61% of NJ voters say they will approve the Constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis for adults. CMMNJ redoubled its efforts, believing that we should proceed as if we are behind in the polls and need to improve our standing. A later poll showed 68 percent of NJ respondents support legalizing cannabis for adults.

Cannabis Decriminalization bill A1897 passed in the NJ Assembly 6/18/20.

Due to the pandemic, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered millions of ballots to be mailed to voters by Oct. 5.  The state provided more ballot drop boxes. To count, ballots had to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and arrive no later than 8 PM a week after Election Day.

NJ.Com: Campaign to legalize marijuana kicks off with 55 days until election

In June, “NJ CAN 2020” joined the effort to approve the ballot question. NJ CAN 2020 had an experienced campaign manager, Axel Owen, who worked with CMMNJ closely. NJ CAN 2020 members included the ACLU NJ, the NAACP NJ, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, NJ United for Marijuana Reform, the Latino Action Network, the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, & the NJ CannaBusiness Association. See NJ CAN 2020 30-second ad: Vote YES to Legalize Cannabis in New Jersey! 

Join Gov. Phil Murphy in the fight to legalize adult-use marijuana. Rick Steves helped with: It’s Time to Legalize Marijuana in New Jersey. Robert Platshorn supported the legalization effort with his video The Silver Tour.

CMMNJ held a Poster Contest to inspire people to vote YES on November 3rd. CMMNJ’s Poster Contest winner is the logo by Jo Anne Zito. Yard signs that were made with variations on this design were available from CMMNJ by October 9, 2020. Many volunteers helped to pay for and distribute the yard signs. 

Marijuana legalization won in all 21 counties in New Jersey, with approval rates from 75% in Camden County to 60% in Ocean County.  The Constitutional Amendment takes effect on 1/1/21. Per the ballot question’s Interpretive Statement: “The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (will) oversee the new adult cannabis market…The scope of the commission’s new authority (will) be detailed in laws enacted by the Legislature.” More info at: SCR183/ACR840.

Many thanks to the friends, family, colleagues, advocates, organizations, patients, and voters who made the victory for cannabis legalization possible. It was not just an election victory; it was a thorough repudiation of the war on marijuana in every county in New Jersey! CMMNJ said that our state is now on track to become healthier, wealthier, and safer!

On November 6th, Gov. Murphy Announced Cannabis Regulatory Commission Appointments: Dianna Houenou, Chair, & Jeff Brown, Executive Director. 

CMMNJ’s Adult-use Cannabis Recommendations were distributed:

However, as 2020 ended, N.J.’s legal cannabis bill was held up again at the final stage because Gov. Murphy wanted to clarify penalties for underage use.

HOME GROW

In January 2020, Jo Anne Zito published the Op Ed: Allow home cultivation of medical marijuana. See Facebook: #THEYSHALLGROW

Jo Anne and Jim Miller worked diligently for a home cultivation program for NJ MMP patients. They encouraged people to sign the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. By March, about 800 had signed. The petition urged legislators to meet with CMMNJ to discuss patient concerns. Governor Murphy said he’d sign a Home Grow bill (Jeff’s Law) if we got it to his desk, but the bill still needs to be written and introduced. 

Also, CMMNJ encouraged visits to the website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw. We asked supporters to establish contact with NJ legislators and create an email trail and post it. In October, Jo Anne published another Op Ed: A few cannabis plants to love at home | Zito

New Jersey Department of Health Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP)

The eighth anniversary of legal sales of marijuana in New Jersey was on 12-6-20. The tenth anniversary of New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act becoming law was on 1-18-20.

In 2020, Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) serving medical marijuana were designated “essential services” by the State of New Jersey and allowed to continue operating during the pandemic. The Department of Health (DOH) allowed ATCs to offer curbside pickup to patients. Caregiver fees are reduced to $20. However, patients still saw long lines at ATCs, reduced availability of specific strains, and temporary ATC closings.  In May, Jeff Brown said, “More can be done.” 

There are thirteen ATCs currently dispensing medical marijuana at the end of 2020 (9 ATCs & 3 satellites) to serve over 80,000 patients.

Columbia Care in Vineland, 

Ascend Wellness, (formerly Greenleaf) in Montclair, 

The Botanist (Compassionate Care Foundation) Egg Harbor & Atlantic City, 

Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge, Eatontown, and Union Township,

Breakwater in Cranbury, 

Curaleaf in Bellmawr, 

Harmony in Secaucus, 

Rise in Paterson, 

Zen Leaf in Elizabeth,

Apothecarium in Phillipsburg, NJ opened in November 2020.

In August 2020, New Jersey state officials allowed providers to remotely prescribe medical marijuana during the coronavirus pandemic using telemedicine.

The  DOH changed and reissued the RFA for 24 new ATCs in NJ on 7/1/19, including 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 were posted July 15; due on 8/21 (Dispensary) and 8/22 (Cultivation & Vertically Integrated). An NJ appellate court agreed to halt the review of 196 applications for 24 medical marijuana licenses. The DOH said 51 applications were disqualified for various reasons, but applicants are appealing that decision. 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, over a year later, of 24 additional NJ medical marijuana licenses. State urged to compromise. Linda Graves, an applicant, gave updates on the issue at monthly CMMNJ meetings. Many applicants are being harmed financially by the delay. There may be additional legal challenges and appeals. 

A three-judge appellate court vacated the 2018 decision to award six licenses for new medical marijuana companies and remanded it to the health department to develop a new rating system. The court did not revoke the six licenses though.

Ed Tobias, Esq. prepared a brief due March 30th—he wants more licenses. Ed also has the first license to grow hemp in NJ—he said anyone can get one for $400. 

The NJ tax on medical marijuana dropped on July 1 from 6.625% to 4%. Next year at this time it will be 2% and the following year 0.

An NJ appellate court ruled in favor of reimbursement for a worker’s medical marijuana after a workplace accident. On March 10, 2020, the NJ Supreme Court affirmed the appellate decision in the Wild case and ruled employers cannot fire workers who use medical marijuana while off the job.

A Medical Cannabis Dispensary Technician training class will be held this spring at the Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ.

NJ patients were advocating for home delivery along with home cultivation. CMMNJ encouraged supporters to send the letter from NORML to Allow Home Delivery for medical marijuana patients! The NJ MMP issued regulations on 6/25/20 to allow ATCs to begin home delivery. However, by the end of 2020, ATCs had still not implemented this service.

There was a weekly record increase of patients in the MMP during the week of 3/20/20 when over 4,000 patients joined the program. Ken said in a media interview that he thought this was likely due to an increase in community anxiety brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Marijuana rescheduling/descheduling and national issues

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 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. 

Patients Out of Time has created a coalition of organizations and individuals to demand the end of federal cannabis prohibition with their Resolution to De-Schedule Cannabis. Please share. 

Ken commented on a Proposed Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA’s announcement that it will begin processing applications to cultivate marijuana for research. 

On Election Day, November 3rd, 2020, the following states legalized marijuana for adults: Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota, along with New Jersey. South Dakota also legalized medical marijuana, as did Mississippi. Oregon decriminalized all drugs.  In Illinois, legal marijuana sales began 1/1/20.

On December 4, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2020 (MORE Act.)  This bill would decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, provide for reinvestment in persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, and provide for expungement of federal cannabis offenses. There are concerns about this bill.

2020 CMMNJ Publications

CMMNJ Monthly Agendas and Minutes also contain links to published reports by and about CMMNJ Board members and friends.  For the CMMNJ Agendas and Minutes, see the CMMNJ blog. May 16, 2020 was the 11th anniversary of the CMMNJ blog.

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for December 8, 2020

CMMNJ November 10, 2020 Meeting Agenda 

CMMNJ’s Adult-use Cannabis Recommendations

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for October 13, 2020 and September Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for September 8, 2020 and August Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for August 11, 2020 and July Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for July 14, 2020 and June Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for June 9, 2020 and May Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for May 12, 2020 and April Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for April 9, 2020 and March Minutes

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for March 10, 2020 and February 4, 2020 Minutes.

CMMNJ Public Meeting Agenda for January 14, 2020 and December 2019 Minutes:

CMMNJ Year End Report 2019

In May, Ken resurrected his first public call for marijuana reform--a Letter To The Editor of The Evening Times of Trenton, NJ published on August 10, 1972: 

CMMNJ’s Board member Peter Rosenfeld published an Op Ed supporting the adult use ballot question in NJ.

Board member Jo Anne Zito published an Op Ed 8/25/20: I’ve been unjustly criminalized by N.J.’s cannabis laws. Decriminalize it now! 

CMMNJ members took part in events and stories in 2020

American Cannabis Nurses Association: 2020 Annual Conference...A Virtual Experience, 12/6-8/20.

“Green Repeal” (46-minute podcast): “How the Coronavirus is Affecting the Cannabis Industry with Ken Wolski." 

NJ Cannabis Insider: Q&A with Ken Wolski.

WEED THE PEOPLE New Jersey CANNABIS Symposium Why vote YES on Ballot Initiative on November 3rd  #RUTGERS

Profile of CMMNJ Executive Director: Cannabis influencers: The tireless nurse and original advocate for medical marijuana

Letter To the Editor: Irony from N.J. pot-bill obstructionist

The CannAtlantic Cannabis Conference, 9/26/20

For marijuana advocate Ken Wolski, legalization of drug was long overdue: Phil Gianficaro, Burlington County Times, 11/8/20.

Drug War Chronicle: Will New Jersey Be the Next State to Legalize Weed?

Delaware cannabis legalization panel, December 16, 7pm-9pm via Zoom. 

“Cannabis: A Handbook for Nurses” by Carey S. Clark 

“Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” JCC, Edison, NJ, 2/11/20.

“Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” Princeton Present Day Club, 3/4/20.

Princeton Senior Resource Center: “MEDICAL MARIJUANA” Friday, Oct 23

March Against the War on Drugs, 7/10/20, Newark City Hall to Peter Francisco Park Rally 

Sativa Cross Podcast, 4/20/20,  Trenton State House, 7/2/20, 7/23, 8/27, 9/24, 10/22, 11/26, 11am to 2 pm. 

Decriminalization Rally for bill S2535 State House, Trenton, 8/27/20.

ASA Unity Conference, Washington, D.C., March 25 – 28, 2020, online only.

The Shore Grow fundraiser for Patient Aid on 9/26/20

NJ Cannabis Legalization Overview Webinar Hosted by Black Cannabis

Interviews with Dean Becker of Drug Truth Network: 1/2/20 & 1/3/20. 

Open Forum on Legalization of Cannabis, Atlantic City, 3/4/20.

NJCBA Webinar 4/15/20, 12 – 1 pm.

Canna Pop Up, 4/20/20, noon to 5 pm.

CannaGather Digital History & Science of Culinary & Cannabis, 5/7/20.

Cannabis and COVID-19: Where Does America Go From Here? Webinar, May 13.

ArcView Town Hall: All things New Jersey Cannabis Landscape, 16 Dec 2020 

Military Matters podcast: Episode 1: Cannabis – what are the facts, and can it be helpful?

Steven Kadonsky was released from New Jersey State Prison after 26 years of incarceration for a nonviolent marijuana offense—his first offense! See his story here: The Steven Kadonsky Story

CMMNJ testified at the NJ Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, 11/9/20 on S21 Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, & Marketplace Modernization Act; legalizes personal use cannabis for certain adults, subject to regulation by Cannabis Regulatory Commission; removes marijuana as Schedule I drug.  

Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee Hearing, 11/09/20; and the Assembly Appropriations Committee, 11/12/20 on S2535 Marijuana-provides criminal and civil justice reforms; A1897 Marijuana-decriminalizes 10 grams; 

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 and the Ignorance is No Excuse tour went to many communities.

#JusticeforJawara: Jawara McIntosh died 7/17/20 from injuries he sustained while in Bergen County Jail on a marijuana offense. The 2017 attack left Jawara with severe brain injuries that led to his death. Jawara was in jail because he was caught with marijuana, a sacrament in his Rastafarian Religion. 

Thanksgiving Giveaway: Sativa Cross, CMMNJ, & UFCW distributed donated food, clothing and personal hygiene items to the homeless and poor of Trenton at the Trenton State House Annex on 11/26/20. 

The 17th anniversary of CMMNJ’s first public event at the White Dog Café was on 3/10/20. Cheryl Miller, the multiple sclerosis patient, early NJ medicinal marijuana activist, and wife of CMMNJ co-founder Jim Miller, died on June 7, 2003.

Thanks to CMMNJ Volunteers

On behalf of the Board of Directors of CMMNJ, I would like to thank all 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;

⦁ activists who contacted the media and elected officials for marijuana reform;

⦁ special “Thank you” to all who contributed food, clothing, and cash to the CMMNJ & Sativa Cross Thanksgiving Food & Clothing Giveaway at the Trenton State House.

CMMNJ 2020 Board Update

Frequent Board discussions were conducted by group emails and messages as opposed to formal Board meetings during 2020. At the close of the year, the CMMNJ Board consists of the following 11 people: 

Kenneth R. Wolski, RN, Executive Director; 

James Miller; Jim Miller, Longtime Advocate, and NJ Homegrow Leader

Edward R. Hannaman, Esq., Secretary; 

Nick Mellis; 

Peter Rosenfeld; 

Larry Vargo;

Amanda Hoffman;

Jo Anne Zito; 

Philippe Dume; 

Gaetano Lardieri: Cannabis Science Leader and Advocate;

Michael Brennan; Leading Cannabis Activist, Advocate & Patient 

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

Treasury Report

Treasury report: In 2020 CMMNJ had expenditures of $3,707 and income of $5,664 for a gain this year of $1,924. CMMNJ finished the year with a checking account balance of $4,938 and a PayPal account balance of $3,224 for a grand total of $8,162.

The Shore Grow fundraiser for Patient Aid on 9/26/20 raised $2275 for CMMNJ! Many thanks to Tom@ShoreGrow.com, Doug, Eva and the Shore Grow team for the most successful fund raiser in CMMNJ’s 17-year history! 

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. This includes those who contributed anonymously through Network for Good. Many people also generously donated their time, their professional and personal services, office space, supplies, etc. to CMMNJ.

Many thanks to the Byrne family of Ewing, NJ, who, on the untimely death of their son, Will, directed memorial contributions to CMMNJ. The Byrnes said that medical marijuana greatly improved the last year of their son’s life. Even in their grief, they reached out to help others.

CMMNJ’s 2021 Recommendations

⦁ Allow registered patients in the NJ MMP to grow a limited supply of cannabis (Home Grow Now!)

⦁ Implement a timely legalization program that brings affordable, high quality marijuana to New Jersey adults in an appropriately regulated, socially just way. See CMMNJ’s complete Adult-use Cannabis Recommendations.

⦁ CMMNJ renews its annual call for national clinical trials of marijuana.

⦁ Deschedule marijuana, both in New Jersey and nationally.

Schedule of CMMNJ 2021 meetings

Plans for 2021 are to continue with monthly Zoom meetings until further notice.

In 2020, CMMNJ held twelve free public meetings on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM. The meetings from January through March 2020 were held at the Lawrence Township Library in Mercer County.  (Meeting at the library does not imply the county’s endorsement of our issue.) Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the meetings from April through December were conducted via Zoom conferences.  In the past the CMMNJ Board objected to having a permanent record of meeting discussions. This was out of concerns about patient confidentiality, and patient self-incrimination when discussing use of an illegal substance. As usual, in the beginning of the Zoom meeting, participants introduced themselves and said a few words about why they were at the meeting. We advised participants that there was no way to tell if their comments were being recorded.

CMMNJ sent the agendas for these meetings via e-mail to over 1000 supporters each month and posted the agendas on Facebook, Twitter and on the CMMNJ blog. 

To receive the meeting agendas, sign up!  

We extend our best wishes for everyone’s safety and health during this time of pandemic, social distancing, and economic collapse. 

Follow CMMNJ

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

Facebook: Friends of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana-NJ  

or, Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Twitter: @CMM_NJ

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

More Info:

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director

Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc. 

219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618  

(609) 394-2137 

ohamkrw@aol.com; kenwolski@gmail.com

January 6, 2021

CMMNJ Monthly Meeting Agenda for March 10, 2020

Monthly Public Meeting Agenda 
Lawrence Township Library, Room #1 
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM 

Approve February 2020 minutes. 3/10/20 is the 17th anniversary of CMMNJ!

Marijuana legalization in NJ will be a ballot question on Nov. 3, 2020.
For wording of ballot question, see below or: SCR183/ACR840
Register to vote and vote in the General Elections in November. #VoteCannabis2020!

Home cultivation for patients-
Sign the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. 
Also, visit the website: Let Patients Grow NJ #JeffsLaw.

NJ MMP Update: Compassionate Care Foundation opened a satellite dispensary in Atlantic City on 2/22/20, the ninth facility dispensing marijuana for medical use in NJ.

A NJ appellate court agreed to halt the review of 196 applications for 24 additional medical marijuana licenses. A hearing (oral arguments) won't take place before March 2020. The DOH said 51 applications were disqualified for various reasons, but applicants appealed that decision.

A Bill to expand MMP telehealth passed the Senate 2/20; Assembly to vote 3/5/20, 10 am.

Tell Congress Not to Allow Trump to Roll Back Medical Marijuana Protections:  NORML.org

Upcoming Events: 
“Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” Princeton Present Day Club, 3/4/20, 12:30 – 2:15 pm.
Open Forum on Legalization of Cannabis, Atlantic City, 3/4/20, 11 am. RSVP: (609) 457-0149.
The Road to Legalization, Edison, NJ, 3/10/20, 10:30-4:30 pm.
Garden State NORML, Lawrence Twp., NJ Library, 3/25/20, 6:30 pm.
ASA Unity Conference, Washington, D.C., March 25 – 28, 2020.
Patients Out of Time 14th National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, Bethesda, MD, May 28-30, 2020 (also the 25th anniversary of POT).
Shore Grow Patient Aid 20202 fundraiser for CMMNJ: 6/27/20.

Recent events: “Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” JCC, Edison, NJ, 2/11/20.

Treasury report: Checking: $4054; PayPal: $2735.

Many thanks to the Byrne family of Ewing, NJ, who, on the untimely death of their son, Will, directed memorial contributions to CMMNJ. The Byrnes said that medical marijuana greatly improved the last year of their son’s life. Even in their grief, they reached out to help others.

To make a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, click here!

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

CMMNJ blog (for agendas and published reports since 2009).

Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Twitter: @CMM_NJ

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:

      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.

     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 
February 11, 2020

January 2020 minutes approved.

1/18/20—10th anniversary of NJ’s CUMCA.

Marijuana legalization in NJ will be a ballot question on November 3, 2020. See below or  SCR183/ACR840  

Register to vote and vote in the General Elections in November. #VoteCannabis2020! (#VoteCannabis2020 will apply for 501(c)(3) status.)

Guest Op-ed: So many reasons to legalize marijuana 

Home cultivation for patients--sign the petition: Let Patients Grow NJ. 500 signatures so far--it urges legislators to meet with Ken to discuss patient concerns. (Part of a larger campaign including a web site being designed.) Gov. Murphy said he’d sign a Home Grow bill (Jeff’s Law) if we got it to his desk—the bill still needs to be written and introduced. Build coalition support for home grow--NJUMR

NJ MMP Update: Growing operations will start at TerrAscend in Boonton Twp. which will also run three dispensaries. In Feb., three cultivation permits were issued to Verano in Readington, MPX NJ in Pleasantville and Columbia Care NJ in Vineland, bringing the number of medical marijuana cultivation sites in NJ to 11. 

There are seven ATCs currently dispensing medical marijuana: Greenleaf in Montclair, Compassionate Care Foundation in Egg Harbor, Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge and Union Township, Breakwater in Cranbury, Curaleaf in Bellmawr, Harmony in Secaucus and Rise in Paterson. 

There are now 67,644 patients, 2,543 caregivers and 1,100 physicians participating in the program. 

An NJ appellate court agreed to halt the review of 196 applications for 24 medical marijuana licenses. A hearing (oral arguments) won't take place before March 2020. The DOH said 51 applications were disqualified for various reasons, but applicants are appealing that decision.

An NJ appellate court ruled in favor of reimbursement for a worker’s medical marijuana after a workplace accident. An appeal is unlikely to be heard by the NJ Supreme Court, since the Appellate decision was unanimous.

A Medical Cannabis Dispensary Technician training class will be held this spring at the Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ.

NORML: Gov. Murphy gets an A-; NJ Cannabis Insider analysis of reform efforts. 

CMMNJ Board members:
Jim Miller, Longtime Advocate, and NJ Homegrow Leader

Gaetano Lardieri: Cannabis Science Leader and Advocate

A bill would expand telehealth prescribing for medical marijuana patients—the bill passed the state Senate today.

The CMMNJ Year End Report for 2019 is available at: https://cmmnj.blogspot.com/2020/01/cmmnj-year-end-report-2019.html

Upcoming Events: 
The Road to Legalization, Edison, NJ, 3/10/20, 10:30-4:30pm
“Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” JCC, Edison, NJ, 2/11/20, 10:30 – 11:30 am.
“Seniors and Medical Marijuana,” Princeton Present Day Club, 3/4/20, 12:30 – 2:15 pm.
ASA Unity Conference, Washington, D.C., March 25 – 28, 2020.
Patients Out of Time 14th National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, Bethesda, MD, May 28-30, 2020 (also the 25th anniversary of POT).
Shore Grow Patient Aid 20202 fundraiser for CMMNJ: 6/27/20.

Recent events: 
Black Cannabis Mixer of 2020, Ewing, NJ, 1/20/20. 
Garden State NORML lobby day, 12 noon, Trenton State House: 12/16/19.
Interview with Dean Becker of Drug Truth Network: 1/2/20 & 1/3/20. 

Treasury report: Checking: $4021; PayPal: $2511. A detailed treasury report was forwarded to CMMNJ Board members for 2019.  In summary, in 2019 CMMNJ had expenditures of $3,482 and income of $2,128 for a loss this year of $1,354. CMMNJ finished the year with a checking account balance of $3,726 and a PayPal account balance of $2512 for a grand total of $6,238.

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

Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ
Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey

Twitter: @CMM_NJ

CMMNJ blog (for agendas and published reports since 2009).

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

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