As a New Jersey editor, I moderated a panel discussion at the recent NECANN industry conference about the need to legalize home cannabis cultivation.
Businessman Evan Nisan of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Trichome Analytical CEO Kristen Gaudet are leaders of the New Jersey Home Grow Coalition. Therefore, we held a panel discussion in front of a very interested audience.
The panel's goal was to get more support from the cannabis industry.
A large portion of the coalition that has developed is made up of people who support independent, local, and diverse ownership businesses.
progress
He explained that even though New Jersey's cannabis industry is booming, growing marijuana remains a felony.
Nisan said he has been part of the leadership to enable growth in the country since the passing of the Market Adoption Bill CREAMMA in 2021.
Guede's involvement came after the New Jersey State Bar Association expressed concerns about how unlicensed marijuana is not tested and that he doesn't believe home-grown marijuana should be legal. He said it became.
“The testing aspect of home growing doesn't make it safe or unsafe. It gives you more control over your own growing,” she explained. “It's just as untested as growing tomatoes in your backyard.”
“Whoever is profiting from this industry should also care about patients and people and make sure they are doing what they can to make change at the state level,” Guede declared.
I explained that for a bill to become law, it must be passed by the state legislature and the state senate.
“The New Jersey Cannabis Control Commission cannot help,” I explained.
Promoting medical cannabis cultivation at home for patients
Mr. Guede explained that the coalition has made progress in terms of attracting sponsors with its advocacy of the Medical Home Cultivation Bill, S 1393.
He has bipartisan support, along with Sen. Declan O'Scanlon (R-13) of Monmouth County.
“We have up to eight sponsors and will soon have nine, which is a lot,” she pointed out.
Gaudet explained that the more sponsors a bill has, the closer it gets to passage.
She explained that the current bill limits the number of plants.
The law limits you to four mature cannabis plants and four immature cannabis plants.
“We are the only state that has legalized adult use of marijuana without legalizing home cultivation,” Guede said.
She said plant consistency is necessary for medical cannabis patients.
“In some cases, you can't consistently find a drug specific for that strain on the market. They might find something that works. But the next time they go to the pharmacy, it's It’s sold out and won’t grow again,” Goede explained.
I would like to thank New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-27) of Newark, Angela McKnight (D-31) of Jersey City, and especially New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari of Union County. I explained that I really needed to convince Mr. (Democratic Party-22).
Sen. Troy Singleton (D-7) of Burlington County is leading the medical side, and Vin Gopal (D-11) of Monmouth has introduced a bill to legalize home cultivation for adult use.
Guede urged people to contact their state senators.
She encouraged people to simply scan the federation's QR code.
Limit the number of plants or canopy size
Guede explained that the Coalition wants the bill to limit the scale of canopy growth, which would increase plant numbers.
“In the industry, everything is regulated by the canopy area,” she pointed out. “We believe it is more important, so people can do pheno hunting in a 10-by-10 area.”
Gaudet added that the bill includes negative consequences for patients who receive home-grown cannabis as gifts.
“I believe we need to get rid of it,” she said.
Mr. Gaudet argued that gifts are already prohibited.
“I don't think the country can say it's completely legal until people are released from prison and home cultivation is legal,” Nisan declared. “It's not completely legal yet.”
He explained the importance of phenohunting to find the best cultivated plants.
The economics of home-growing
Additionally, some people sell cloned or baby plants along with light fixtures and soil in other markets.
“It's not like there's no money in the economy for home-growing,” Nisan said.
“I grow tomatoes and I also buy tomatoes,” he added.
Many people, especially those who prefer large companies that are multistate operators (MSOs), oppose it because they believe it will hurt profit margins.
“People still shop at pharmacies. They like the selection. Sometimes they buy more because they want to try something new. Or if your crop has rotten buds, “Maybe it was,” Guede argued. “Studies have shown that it has no impact on the market.”
“In my opinion, that excuse is invalid,” she declared.
Goede noted that he believes Scutari will harm the industry.
“They were waiting for the industry to become established,” she pointed out.
Mr. Nisan said that is why they are seeking industry support from NECANN.
That's why the Homegrow Coalition now includes so many independent dispensary owners.
As an alternative, Guede explained that new legislation is being discussed to tightly regulate cannabis cultivation, including including a type of breeder license class.
“This was on the Senate Health Committee agenda and is being removed by Senate leadership,” she noted. “Once you move forward, you have support to pass.”
Guede said New Jersey's cannabis industry needs to help patients.
MSO Corporate Cannabis Opponents
I gave a shoutout to Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey Canna Business Association (NJCBA), who was in the audience and supported homegrown legalization.
NJCBA hosted two webinars on this topic this summer with Singleton and Gopal.
He added that lobbyists and representatives of large MSOs were voicing opposition behind closed doors.
Gaudet noted that the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA), which represents large MSOs and several other companies, supports cultivation in medical settings.
Rudder pointed out that a large group of MSOs called the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association signed a letter to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo opposing homegrown cannabis cultivation.
According to Marijuana Moment, major MSOs Columbia Care's Botanist and Acreage, which operates Ascend, signed the letter.
Representatives from Curaleaf and GTI Rise also appear to be participating.
“When we voted for legalization in 2020, I called the same people. I called on these MSOs to donate to my campaign,” Rudder said.
He added: “I didn't get anything out of them. That was surprising to me.”
“The response was they didn't need additional competition. They locked in the medical market,” Rudder explained.
He said he owns the Township Green Pharmacy in south Jersey.
“I'm not going to be affected by anything,” Rudder declared.
fight the good fight and make progress
He noted that lawmakers care about how popular an issue is among voters. Rudder explained that influential churchgoers in urban Democratic areas are often socially conservative and opposed to marijuana.
“Protests have no real effect,” he pointed out. “What really works is a one-on-one approach with legislators.”
