The NJ Assembly passed a bill that limits towns from stopping medical dispensaries from converting to recreational adult-use dispensary sales and allowing strong intoxicating/infused hemp drinks.
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The bill A 5051 would curb the great power and autonomy that New Jersey towns have. This is known as Home Rule.
This is why many New Jersey dispensaries are clustered together in a knife fight, while other towns will never have one.
The bill would also allow infused hemp drink bottles to be up to 750 ML or 25 ounces with 200 mg of THC. That size is similar to liquor and wine bottles.
Currently, there are cannabis syrup bottles that are about two ounces yet have 100 mg of THC sold in New Jersey dispensaries. There are also canned drinks with 10 mg of THC sold in NJ dispensaries and liquor stores.
THC is what gets you high in weed.
Many underground legacy consumers and operators have reported disliking how can drinks are weak like beer.
Short Debate on Home Rule and Hemp Drinks
“Our municipalities were told they would have meaningful local control…,” Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-2-4-Sussex) said. “Residents were told your town would decide….”
“A medicinal dispensary is not blanket consent for automatic recreational sales later,” she argued. “These are different concerns… business models.”
“This is exactly how Trenton operates… We’re all exhausted by it… energy… land use… now cannabis,” Fantasia added.
She said they’re isolated from the consequences of these issues.
“Nothing New Jersey government claims to do stays limited,” Fantasia added.
The bill to limit town power and allow big hemp bottles passed 48-20, with 12 Assemblymembers abstaining without further debate or comment.
Limiting Town Power and Allowing Strong Hemp Drinks Bill Background
The bill was introduced recently. Notably, it passed both the NJ Assembly Oversight and Appropriations Committees the same day last Thursday.
It seems someone is rushing the bill through before the process before Jersey’s shady budget process dominates the legislative sessions which lasts until June 30th.
Notably, NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union) is sponsoring the Senate as S 4297.
It was sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblymembers Robert Karabinchak (D-18-Middlesex) and Annette Quijano (D-20-Union).
Both have been actively sponsoring NJ cannabis and hemp legislation in the past.
Unfortunately, neither is among those sponsoring either the medical patient-only home cannabis gardening legalization bill or the adult-use version.
However, it is notable that Patrick Diegnan (D-18-Middlesex) is among the sponsors of S 1758 to legalize medical-only home gardening in the Senate.
Unfortunately, it’s a shame Scutari clearly does not want to legalize cannabis gardening in the Garden State, despite 323 dispensaries open in the State.
