On December 8, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) approved 30 additional medical cannabis business licenses. Since 2019, the 30 licenses had been frozen by a court order that lifted earlier this year. The CRC said the approval would double the number of medical dispensaries in the Garden State.
Becoming an elite athlete takes years of dedication — long days, longer nights, pain, and sacrifice. As an Olympic caliber sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson committed herself to the process, navigating a labyrinth of rules and regulations for the chance to compete at the highest level of her sport. On July 2, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) dashed her dreams of participating in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games with a suspension for violating its ban on marijuana, an outdated rule with no basis in science.
"New Jersey could be the game changer for the Northeast and for the Mid-Atlantic. It is a huge state, there will be a large market there, and it will undoubtedly put pressure on surrounding states to rethink their positions and create momentum for cannabis reform," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.
Yesterday, Gov. Murphy signed three bills into law that officially enact legalization in New Jersey! Gov. Murphy’s signature ends a three-year campaign to regulate and tax cannabis in the Garden State. As you likely recall, in November 2020, New Jerseyans overwhelmingly approved a ballot referendum supporting cannabis legalization. The following month, the legislature responded with the passage of A.21/S.21 and S.2535. However, both measures stalled due to concerns surrounding penalties for underage use.
"New Jersey becomes a critical state in that Mid-Atlantic, Northeast corridor. It's a large population state, yes, but I think it's the key to what happens in the rest of those states in the coming year. There has been a slow start in that section of the country. But with New Jersey passing this ballot initiative, I think that will change," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.
"This is a victory for social justice given that Black residents of New Jersey are 3.5 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white residents despite similar usage rates," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.
Evidence of MPP's effectiveness? Of the 11 states with some form of legalization law on the books, the organization led the political campaigns for eight.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) discussed the role of marijuana criminalization and the broader drug war in perpetuating racial injustices during an online town hall on Wednesday.