New Jersey voters support a marijuana legalization referendum that’s on their ballots by a nearly three-to-one margin, according to a new poll released on Friday.
The Stockton University Polling Institute survey found that when likely voters were asked whether they “support or oppose a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana in New Jersey,” 66 percent were in favor, compared to 23 percent in opposition.
What to Expect
Depending on the institution, cannabis may be offered as a major, minor, certificate program or a class.
Minot State University and Northern Michigan University are two schools providing degrees in medicinal plant chemistry. However, most university offerings tend to be minors and classes at this time.
Anne Markel-Crozier, a certified social worker, and Matthew Brasette, an attorney, addressed the crowd at a recent lecture at Stockton University in Manahawkin. They were discussing the use of medical marijuana among older adults in New Jersey.
They had plenty to talk about. According to data gathered from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2015 and 2016, about 9 percent of U.S. adults between ages 50 and 64 had used marijuana in the previous year. About 3 percent of people over 65 used pot in that same time period.
Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Branchburg, New Jersey will launch a certificate program on March 9, 2020 for residents interested in becoming cannabis dispensary technicians. The 15 hour non-credit bearing certificate program is designed to provide “knowledge of the legalities, the state’s guidelines and the medical implications of medical cannabis that are key to working in a medical dispensary.” in New Jersey.
Even serious marijuana ventures are not above a good pun. That much is clear in the new zero-credit course being offered at Atlantic Cape Community College: "Cannabis 101: Essential Knowledge for a Growing Industry."
According to a report, 13 students enrolled in the six-week online course.
“It’s an overview," said Josette Katz, vice president of academic affairs at Atlantic Cape. “Rather than starting out with a credit class, we wanted to gauge the interest that the constituents in Atlantic and Cape May counties had on the topic.”
As it remains in toss-up mode whether or not New Jersey will go ahead anytime soon with the legalization of recreational marijuana, in-depth research led by a Stockton University faculty member finds little to no effect on crime in the two states that were the first to do so.
There are photos of marijuana leaves all over the campus of Stockton University and it’s the leaders of the school that have put them there. In addition to the creation of a cannabis studies minor program last fall, the school is now hosting its first Cannabis Fair and Business Expo.
With campus police officers strolling by and school administrators within earshot, students openly discussed marijuana Friday.
What would have once been risky behavior is now a networking opportunity. At a cannabis industry fair at Stockton University, students mingled with employers and vendors. Those interested in the subject range from business students to environmental studies students, said Ekaterina Sedia, coordinator for the school’s Cannabis Studies program.
A decade after winning a Super Bowl, former Giant Amani Toomer has explored a different industry: marijuana. Toomer will be one of several speakers at the NJ Cannabis Career Fair and Business Expo at Stockton University.
The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Stockton University Campus Center (101 Vera King Farris Dr., Galloway). Topics will include the state medical marijuana program, the role of nurses in medical marijuana, cannabis cultivation, cannabis careers and labor issues, and how marijuana businesses can strengthen communities.
N.J. Cannabis Career Fair & Business Expo
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway Township. To register, contact the Stockton University Office of Continuing Studies at 609 652-4227. Deadline to register is Aug. 28.