New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill (D) has been silent on the State Police arrest of cannabis home gardener Will Only Jr.

Sherrill’s Press Office did not respond to an emailed request for comment by the time of publication.

Will has started a GoFundMe page to help with the anticipated legal expenses of his case and court date on Monday, August 17th.

Will said he had less than six ounces of cannabis and 12 plants, with only a few actually producing flower, when the NJ State Police arrested him in July. He has passionately explained that he never planned to distribute it to anyone besides himself and his wife.

Mikie Sherrill and NJ Cannabis

Sherrill has not publicly commented on Will’s arrest. She also has not said much on New Jersey cannabis policy in general since the above picture was taken at her swearing-in ceremony in January 2026.

Sherrill has direct control of the NJ State Police. She appointed Jeanne Hengemuhle as NJ State Police Superintendent to run the paramilitary organization in February 2026.

Sherrill pledged progress on the issue during the June 2025 NJ Democratic Gubernatorial primary when she endorsed adult-use and medical home cannabis gardening legalization. She re-endorsed home cannabis gardening legalization during the November 2025 General Election while appearing on CBS.

Heady NJ never heard of the State Police directly arresting a cannabis home gardener under former Governor Phil Murphy (D).

NJ Cannabis Crackdown Issues

NJ Attorney General Jennifer Davenport pledged an underground legacy operator crackdown during her NJ Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year. During the hearing, NJ Senators noted their unhappiness with shady smoke shops and convenience stores that might be selling to minors.

NJ Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22) championed bills for an underground legacy crackdown by the NJ State Police, along with a phased-in ban of intoxicating hemp. Both were signed by Murphy before he left office.

The crackdown against smoke shops selling THCA hemp flower began in April 2026.

The NJ CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) also had concerns about shady convenience stores and smoke shops selling shady intoxicating hemp products.

They have also been an integral part of the coalition championing NJ cannabis home gardening legalization. When asked about it by NJCBA President Bill Caruso about it on a webinar last September 2025, Scutari said he might allow growing exactly one plant under Sherrill.

NJ Cannabis Home Gardening Versus Legal Sales?

Scutari has remained adamantly opposed to home cannabis gardening legalization for years. Sativa Cross President Jim Miller is very eager to have Senator Joe Vitale (D-19-Middlesex) hold an informational hearing on the issue. Miller and other cannabis advocates believe Vitale would hold a hearing if he could. However, Heady NJ hears Scutari will not allow him to.

Scutari has often used the example of a trip to Colorado 10 years ago to explain why he hates cannabis home gardening. At the time, Colorado allowed home cannabis gardening of up to 99 plants. They have since changed their law to only allow six plants to be grown at home.

At the time, many of Colorado’s legal dispensaries were having problems.

So, Scutari concluded that the cannabis market with legal companies is a zero-sum game. The red tape and federal restrictions make it worse. Thus, underground legacy operators and home cannabis gardeners both represent intolerable competition.

Shady corner convenience stores and smoke shops are more likely to take away revenue and credibility from licensed NJ cannabis dispensaries than home cannabis gardening.

Heady NJ has also heard that large Multi-State Operators (MSOs) close to Scutari have been consistently opposed to home cannabis gardening progress since they also think it would be too much competition in a zero-sum game for profit.

NJ Home Cannabis Gardening Legalization Bills

A medical patient-only home cannabis gardening bill, along with an adult-use and medical home cannabis gardening bill, have been championed by NJ Democratic Conference Chair Vin Gopal (D-11-Monmouth) and NJ Senate Democratic Whip Troy Singleton (D-7-Burlington) for years.

Their medical cannabis home gardening only bill, S 1758, has bipartisan support from across New Jersey. S 2564 to allow both adult-use and medical cannabis home gardening, unfortunately, has less support.

The medical bill would allow four flowering plants and four immature non-flowerings plants for a total of 8 per patient. The medical and adult-use bill would allow medical cannabis patients to grow 10 plants and 6 plants for adult-use consumers.

The NJ Senate has recessed for the summer and will return in the fall.

The fact that home cannabis gardening remains illegal in the Garden State is a blemish that many in the New Jersey cannabis community remain unhappy and outraged about.