CMMNJ Monthly Public Zoom Meeting Agenda for December 12, 2023 at 7 pm
ZOOM Meeting ID: 832 3355 8314 Passcode: 887963 Or, click:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83233558314?pwd=enN2L3NnZGU3aHB0Y2NUMW53b25KUT09
Agenda:
Federal Drug Policy Reform:
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC):
The next CRC meeting: Thursday, December 7, 2023 10 a.m. Location: 44 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton. Watch live on YouTube. Register to speak here. Submit written comments to the CRC here.
CRC's campaign to promote public health and safety around the state’s legalization law—an effort, in part, to encourage adults to use cannabis delivery services to mitigate the risk of impaired driving.
Edibles: CRC seeks public comment on rules for ingestible cannabis products. The comment period ends 12/15/23. The proposed rules are here.
Applications for wholesalers, distributors and delivery services will open up to all applicants on 3/27/24. Find a Dispensary in NJ.
CMMNJ’s 2023 medical cannabis goals:
- 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.
- 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.
- S353/A3657: Legalizes six plants for personal use and 10 plants for medical
Hospital and Institutional Access:
NJ patients in hospitals, nursing homes, state institutions, group homes and hospice are unable to access medical cannabis. Implement the Jake Honig law’s Institutional Caregivers to accomplish this!
Expanded qualifying conditions:
Qualifying for cannabis therapy should be allowed for any condition that a healthcare professional with prescription privileges determines is in the best interest of the patient.
Events:
Ken's GivingTuesday fundraiser for CMMNJ was a bust. Only one donation—mine! But Ken’s Facebook/Network for Good Birthday fundraiser raised $150 for CMMNJ.
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 awards:
2021: NJ Governor's Jefferson Award in the Volunteer Group category;
2023: NJ State Governor's Volunteerism Award in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Champion for Justice Category "for extraordinary service to your community;"
2023: Ken Wolski won a Lifetime Achievement award;
2023: NJ Senate and Assembly Joint Legislative Resolution affirmed CMMNJ's importance as a "catalyst for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana in the State" and paid “tribute to all who have contributed to its success and renown.”
CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.
November 2023 Minutes/Comments:
In addition to five (5) members of the public, there were six (6) CMMNJ board members at the monthly zoom meeting on 11/14/23: Ken, Guy, Nick, Mike, Jim, and Ed. Several issues were discussed:
Fundraising was discussed; should we form a committee to pursue fundraising as T-shirt sales have been very disappointing at community events lately? The question arose about what projects need funding and how should we target a fundraising appeal? Our current goals include insurance coverage; home cultivation; hospital and insurance access; expanding qualifying conditions for medical cannabis; and promoting psychedelics medicinally. Since these are our goals, this is what fundraising would help us to achieve. If CMMNJ could get a strain named after itself that could help with fundraising.
There was a discussion again about the 20th anniversary gala which was tentatively to be held on December 9th 2023. Mike Brennan had gotten a free UFCW hall for use by CMMNJ in South Jersey (West Berlin). However, the feeling at the meeting was that we have not done anything to promote this gathering which is now less than a month away. It seems impractical to pursue this. Also, Mike, who was coordinating this, plans to have a surgical procedure that would preclude his attendance on that day. The board consensus was that we should not pursue a gala on December 9th at this time. Perhaps we could look forward to celebrating CMMNJ's 21st birthday next year.
The Beemer case in South Jersey, a man was arrested for home cultivation of marijuana faced 15 to 20 years in prison, but his case was dismissed with no clear explanation of why.
The Thanksgiving (Danksiving) give away will be proceeding as usual at the State House on Thanksgiving morning starting at 9:00 AM. As usual, CMMNJ will contribute $200 to Jim Miller for Cathi to purchase toiletries and other articles to give away to the needy in Trenton.
Guy encouraged people to fill out his survey on psychedelics, and mentioned that CMMNJ could conduct its own survey for free through Guy which was a $10,000 value. (Sample question: Do you believe patients should have access to insurance coverage for medical cannabis?)
Ken will reach out to Rutgers to determine their policy on medical marijuana patients using there are medicine on campus. It was reported that a medical marijuana student was told she could only medicate off campus.
The patient's handbook was being updated by Wednesday Meyer but that has not progressed.
The website for CMMNJ has not been updated since 2022 and this is something that should be addressed ASAP. Nick found two companies to update the website, one called SOS offered to change the website to WordPress for $500, and an individual named Don Slepian offered to update our website for $100. Nick set up a call with me and him and Don on November 17th. On that call, Don said that he could switch our GoDaddy website to a WordPress website that would make it easier for board members to update our website. Don he said we should add videos and pictures to our website as it was too text heavy now. If we used Amazon Web service, it would only charge $2.00 a month to have videos that we could edit and post on our website. Don said that he would finish the website by January 2024, and I sent him a check for $100. We will continue to meet tentatively once a week to review progress. Don also had some ideas about fundraising. Don suggests we should look into bequests, and also try to get some institutional support by coordinating with friendly organizations like Psychiatric Organizations promoting cannabis for Anxiety, PTSD, etc.
