An Atlantic City woman has been sentenced to six years in prison for growing cannabis at home.
Police found 11 pot plants along with two UV lights for growing, according to Breaking AC.
They noted she has no mandatory minimum sentence and could be freed immediately.
So, Governor Mikie Sherrill could, in theory, could be persuaded to pardon her.
Growing Cannabis at Home Case Details
Ms. Brandie Howerton was sentenced by Judge Donna M. Taylor to six years in New Jersey State Prison “for the crime of first-degree Maintaining a Narcotics Production Facility.”
In December 20204 Atlantic City Police Department’s Special Investigations Section got a warrant and raided her home.
“Police located a marijuana grow and narcotics production facility,” the County Prosecutor’s Office said without describing the nature of her “narcotics production facility.”
The only “narcotic” they mention is “marijuana”.
Howerton pleaded guilty to the charges.
Folding or Fighting the Law
It’s likely that the County Prosecutor’s Office threatened to throw the book at her for a sentence longer than 6 years had she not pleaded guilty.
Furthermore, it is also likely that she did not have the fortune from running a drug kingpin’s “narcotics production facility” to hire a high-end lawyer to fight the charges in a prolonged trial.
That has been the stance of Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion doesn’t believe a jury would convict someone of such a crime in this day and age. He has effectively defended himself in court and paid such expenses before while fighting the law at different times, and made great progress doing so.
Two other men were in the house at the same time, and they have not been sentenced to six years. One of them is already free.
The mainstream media has portrayed her very poorly as an underground legacy operator who does not deserve sympathy.
For example, they said she had a “crackpipe”. However, she has not been accused of possessing crack cocaine.
You can smoke weed in a metal pipe too.
A mere 11 plants doesn’t make you a very ambitious gangster.
Every humble homegrower is portrayed by old narc cop lovers in government and the media as vicious gangsters when they are often the opposite.
Unfortunately, this is the first Heady NJ has heard of it.
NJ Homegrow Politics
There is a multi-billion-dollar legal New Jersey cannabis market now. But it remains a felony to grow even one cannabis plant in your home.
Heady NJ hears a lot of people are doing it anyway.
Many grassroots patient advocates, along with many independent New Jersey cannabis operators and ancillary businesses, including Heady NJ, have been very unhappy with the great illegality of homegrow.
Legislation to make home cannabis growing legal has been reintroduced in the current session of the legislature under the new Governor Sherrill. The medical cannabis home grow bill has bipartisan statewide support from many esteemed legislators.
But, NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22-Union) has opposed it for years. So he has been indifferent to homegrow advocates who wish to meet.
Some in the cannabis industry with a zero-sum game mentality pay lobbyists and lawyers to oppose homegrow. They think it helps them make money. Heady NJ has heard this is especially true of large Multi-State Operators (MSOs).
But that would mean someone who homebrews beer would never buy beer from a store again. In reality, they probably buy a lot because they are connoisseurs.
However, the real issue affecting cannabis dispensary sales in New Jersey has been shady convenience store owners trying to make a buck on intoxicating hemp flower. All such flower must be off their shelves before 4/20/2026.
Hemp drinks must be off all liquor store shelves before Thanksgiving 2026.
(Heady NJ Stock Photo used above.)
