CMMNJ Public Zoom Meeting for November 15, 2022

 

CMMNJ Meeting Agenda for November 15, 2022 at 7 pm

Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 822 7419 4430  Passcode: 349681 

Or click: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82274194430?pwd=bitEcUcvMWRnYUlnNkFPZzU2Q3ZWZz09 

Agenda: Election Day, November 8, 2022. How did marijuana reform do? Odds to vote Yes: MD-83%; MO-60%; ND-52%; SD-52%; AR-35%. Bookies.com

Federal Drug Policy: 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 federal officials to review expeditiously 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.

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. DOJ says medical marijuana users are unfit to possess firearms.

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.

More Plant Medicine: Stockton U. psychedelic education event, via Zoom, Sat., Nov. 12 from 1-4 p.m. 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. Register here. 

CMMNJ endorsed NJ's S2934, the Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access & Services Act. 

The NJ Assembly approved Asw. Quijano’s bill, A3946, to allow deductions for marijuana business expenses on state tax returns. The bill now goes to the Senate. 

Employees at Curaleaf’s Edgewater, NJ. dispensary voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, Local 360.

Cannabis is the No. 1 cash crop in NJ, and the 6th largest in the U.S. ($5B in 2022).

The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC): Meeting: Dec. 8, at 1 pm. 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 will be held from 7 – 9 pm for residents and organizations of South Jersey on 11/15; for Central Jersey on 11/16; and for North Jersey on 11/17. 

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. There are other cannabis lending sources. The Office of Diversity will be compiling an equity scorecard as it relates to social equity initiatives. The CRC approved the first 18 annual licenses for cannabis businesses.

CMMNJ’s post legalization goals include medical cannabis Insurance coverage; Home cultivation rights; Hospital & Institutional Access; and Expanded qualifying conditions. 

Medical Cannabis Insurance bills:

• 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.

Home cultivation bills: Web site: https://www.letpatientsgrownj.com/ 

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

(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.) 

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

TJ Finnerty’s Grace Grower Org., a 501(c)(3) is seeking board members good at raising funds and awareness. Contact: ceo@gracegrower.org or 973-420-3049.

Hospital and Institutional Access: NJ patients in hospitals, nursing homes, state institutions, group homes, and hospice are unable to access medical cannabis, despite a state law allowing it. Implement the Jake Honig law’s Institutional Caregivers!

CMMNJ has 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. 

Upcoming Events: 
F.E.M PREAACH - Psychedelics Panel, Stockton U., 11/12, 1 – 4 pm.
Heady NJ: Cannabis Gathering, UFCW Union Hall, West Berlin, 11/12, 1- 5 pm.
Ewing FOP: Marijuana Presentation, Ewing Hollowbrook Center 11/9, 7 pm.
Thanksgiving Giveaway, State House, Trenton, 11/24, 11 – 1pm.

Recent events: 
CannaBash, Trenton, 10/8/22.
CannaOne, Edison, 10/10 -10/12. CMMNJ presentation 10/12 at 4 pm.
National Hispanic Cannabis Council, Jersey City, City Hall, 10/15.
NJ NORML’s Home Grow Lobby Day, Trenton State House, 10/27.

Treasury report: Checking: $13,395; PayPal: $3.  

Make a tax-deductible donation via PayPal to info@cmmnj.org, or send a check to:

CMMNJ, 219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618.

More info: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com
Facebook: Friends of CMMNJ: https://www.facebook.com/groups/62462971150/
Website: Coalition for Medical Marijuana-New Jersey: https://www.cmmnj.org 
Twitter: @CMM_NJ
CMMNJ blog: https://cmmnj.blogspot.com/
CMMNJ won the 2021 NJ Governor's Jefferson Award Volunteer Group category.

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