The New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill has picked up steam and gotten new sponsors in the State Senate and Assembly.
There had been little movement on the New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill for some time.
Sativa Cross Advocate Edward “Lefty” Grimes and Mike “Bongholeo” Vintzileos actually ran into NJ Senate President and cannabis legalization sponsor Nick Scutari (D-Union). They were at a Bruce Springsteen concert at the Meadowlands recently. Lefty recently said that Scutari told him he favored a limited home grow for medicine compromise.
Scutari has been opposed to cannabis home grow. He has modified his stance in public. He said that he wants the New Jersey adult-use cannabis industry flourishing first.
Governor Phil Murphy (D) has begun parroting industry fears that it would cut into their market share. Scutari has also said such things in the past. The law could be changed so dispensaries could sell the seeds, baby plants known as clones, and fertilizer to home grow. New Jersey cannabis advocates say that the process is so difficult few would actually grow. Adult-use cannabis profits are difficult to calculate since it is an unprecedented industry.
New Jersey Cannabis Home Grow Progress Issues
New legislative sponsors have also agreed to co-sponsor the New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill. The more sponsors a bill has, the closer it is to passing.
The New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill S 342 has been endorsed by State Senator Edward Durr (R-Gloucester), a truck driver who spent less than $1,000 and defeated former NJ Senate President Sweeney in 2021. He has endorsed the bill. Durr has positioned himself as a Libertarian.
In addition, NJ Deputy Republican State Senate Leader Robert Singer (R-Ocean) has also endorsed the New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill.
The Assembly version of the New Jersey cannabis home grow for medicine bill has a new sponsor too. Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-Essex) has co-sponsored the bill A997. He is a longtime Democratic and Labor leader. Giblin served as NJ Democratic State Chair from 1997 to 2001.
Politics and Cannabis
Alixon Collazos-Gill has secured the nomination to succeed him next year. She is a political consultant who has been involved with cannabis herself. She is married to Brendan Gill. He was Governor Phil Murphy’s 2017 Campaign Manager and serves as an Essex County Commissioner.
Cannabis home grow is a highly political issue affected by partisan winds. Assembly sponsors Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey (D-Monmouth) were defeated for re-election in 2021, while district mate Senator Vin Gopal won a narrow victory. Their Republican successors have not sponsored the cannabis home grow bills. Gopal began championing cannabis home grow after hearing from New Jersey cannabis advocates.
Cannabis legalization is a bipartisan issue, with Progressive Democrats and Libertarian Republicans both supporting it.
Heady NJ is hosting a Homegrow forum in downtown Trenton at Hub 13 on Saturday, June 24th to highlight the issue! We encourage you to attend. Heady NJ has been consistently championing the issue of New Jersey cannabis home grow. We want to encourage people to learn about the subject in a fun environment.
