Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion enjoined the lawsuit by Multi-State Operator (MSO) Curaleaf questioning the legitimacy of the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC).
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He told Heady NJ he’s ready to join with anti-marijuana forces to take down the NJ-CRC. NJWeedman noted the lawsuit questions their authority of the NJ-CRC to regulate the legal NJ cannabis market.
NJWeedman explained there was a hearing on the case, and a judge ordered the two separate lawsuits enjoined because both are questioning the legitimacy of the NJ-CRC.
The paperwork is in the process of being filed.
“I knew all this was going to happen,” Forchion declared. “These rules are designed by the corporate guys, and the CRC basically capitulated.”
He thought he might be exempt as a micro-operation from the specific labor laws that Curaleaf is unhappy with, which has led them to be fined multiple times and had their license threatened. The NJ-CRC fined them $610,000 this past August 2025. Last September 2024, Curaleaf was fined $5,000 for labor violations.
The NJ-CRC has said to Heady NJ that they have a policy of not commenting on lawsuits or potential bills like one that could legalize home-growing weed.
Enjoining Curaleaf
“It’s ironic I’m joining forces with them to argue the CRC is ridiculous,” NJWeedman acknowledged.
He noted the saying politics makes strange bedfellows.
They are the embodiment of what he called the Caucasian Cannabis Corporations cartel, as described by NJWeedman more than once.
“I don’t regard them as my enemy,” he said.
NJWeedman foresees his lawyer trying to work with the Curaleaf lawyers. However, they have yet to meet them.
He noted others who spent thousands of dollars to get licensed and couldn’t open might want to join the lawsuit too.
“We’ll probably be asking for amicus briefs from people who have similar arguments,” NJWeedman said. “I expect other people to chime in too.”
Family Business Versus Nepotism
Forchion is unhappy with the NJ-CRC in part based on their family business rules.
“We spent two million dollars….,” he declared. “The CRC has basically stopped us with dumb rules from being legal.”
Forchion explained that his daughter filed legal NJ adult-use cannabis manufacturing and cultivation license applications, and he filed for a dispensary license.
However, the NJ-CRC’s anti-nepotism ruling last December 2024 is preventing them from getting annual dispensary, manufacturing, and cultivation licenses.
Commissioner Krista Nash thought nepotism was a significant problem in the market and did not want to allow them to proceed as they wished.
NJWeedman claimed he met with NJ-CRC Chair Dianna Houenou on the merits of being allowed to do so before the meeting. He said she seemed to agree. But ultimately, she voted against his case.
“I can’t have a father and daughter cannabis business?” NJWeedman asked rhetorically.
He said either his daughter or he had to withdraw their license so one could proceed.
Ultimately, they withdrew his daughter’s applications for manufacturing and cultivation licenses. But NJWeedman said his application has been on hold nonetheless.
He suspected his notorious reputation is a problem.
Underground Legacy to Legal Path Blocked for NJWeedman
NJWeedman regrets the effort and money spent to try to go legitimate and believing in the NJ-CRC.
“I should have just kept doing what I was going,” he said. “I still ain’t legal.”
NJWeedman explained he has not stopped his underground legacy operations.
“I have never stopped. All I wanted to do was switch to being legal,” he added. “A lot of us got shut out.”
NJWeedman said many underground legacy operators have been hampered in trying to go legit.
“In the streets sales you can make way more money,” he added.
NJWeedman noted he has had several problems with the City of Trenton going legit, too, and filed lawsuits against them as well.
He previously sued the State of New Jersey before questioning the legitimacy of legalization and the NJ-CRC, but lost the case.
