blog

bluntboy

Jerz cannabis two years later: is this what we voted for?

It feels odd to be writing this blahgg to yous from a hotel room alone high on atomic lobster #2 and awaiting the arrival of this edible to the party but here we are.

Reminds me of the only other time I ever recall staying in a hotel room alone my feb 2020 trip to the boston weed show I wrote about here.

You know I do have a few thangs to get up offa my chest so do not fret we shall get to all that and then some but first..

It's been one year since I posted last and what's changed in Jerz 'legal' cannabis since then.. actually let's flip the script and look at what has NOT changed

homegrow still very much illegal
crc aint gunna talk about it
all those homegrow bills blocked by col mustard
not enough legal cultivators
prices still too damn high
no delivery or real edibles yet
mayor quimby still decides if you can have a weed biz in Jerz

what's changed?

crc issued a whole bunch of conditionals
a few more retailers / cultivators
some rules for weed lounges
lots of meetings

oh and Murph Dawg says "Buy Legal!" say what now? Listen I can't say it much better than I did rrright here so I'll just link back to it

murph dawg played us stoners for political and financial gains like a fiddle all the way to trenton twice

< ccchanges >

but one thing is changing today 2/22/23 the cap on cannabis cultivators set in the law at 37 expires but really

that is much to do about nothing. Currently we have 17 'legal' cannabis cultivators.

I have to be 100 here all that I just wrote is zzzzzzz to me at this point old news

if you've been tuned in as we say I'd love to be more optimistic about things but I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

The crc is a rubber stamp you fill out the paperworks correctly and pay the fees you can have your conditional license but then what?

You are beholden to the local govt of select 1/3 of state while nearly the inverse amount of voted in favor of 'legal' weed

but you damn well sure are not allowed to grow it and where exactly do you buy this 'legal' weed in many locales it's still a long drive to get the new new megaweedcorp 'legal' 32% neon crunch berries weed

really I ask this question with all seriousness: what did we vote for?

did we vote for $60 8th's?

did we vote for weed factories in old walmart buildings ( link app subs only :/ )

did we vote to create two versions of the same plant cannabis vs marijuana?

did we vote to have gov't hand the adult use market over to the msogang?

did we vote to allow local govt to toss aside our votes?

did we vote to see cannabiz local bans based on outdated stigma or worse in my mind the desire to choose the winners and pad the wallets?

did we vote to create a system where yes many weed arrests have stopped but your guy is still very much at risk and YOU are very much at risk if you drive a car in Jerz?

did we vote to create an entire new gov't agency who's only objective is to raise tax rev and cannot even voice a negative opinion on the flaws with the weed law used to create their jobs?

ah there it is we got to it it's the money lebowski at least $625k over five years and the megaweedcorp board seat later we seeeeee you

< the stigma is real >

more to that point for much of our adult lives stoners around the same age as me have been labeled by our govt as criminals of course we knew that it was unjust and so well we smoaked weed as we do

but for someone to go thru a large part of their life waering that well it does things and so now here in Jerz it's 'legal' cannabiz and illegal marijuana but we know we know it's all just weed

and we know that the nose knows the good weed but I do not know when the law will allow one to actually open a package for sale and smell the 'legal' weed

for all I know the rules may never evolve to allow that

it's all these little things that they take from us that erode our stoner culture

a weed lounge but you can't sell food there huh?

I am going somewhere here where exactly that is I do not quite yet know as I type this ah yes! back to that

so long we've been labeled and that is the stigma just because the laws have changed the minds of so many have not

I ask you this after being labeled for so long for doing something we all knew was not the "high" crime it has been made out to be

and this is how you wind up local govt so out of touch with their own voter they will ban cannabis sales before they decide to spend an hour learning about the issue

they are old and they've been there a long time inside the insides of the local govt machine and so listen bud they know what is best for this town NOT YOU concerned citizen

as if weed as not been sold and smoaked every day in every town across the great state of Jerz for many many many years

when top (murph) dawg our govt now clearly in the weed biz comes to us and says "buy legal" spouting the same bs talking points we see right thru that clear as glass just wiped down so clean birds fly right into the window

so yes as you might have guessed I smoak weed

but rarely do I smoak 'Legal' weed

traditional market weed is safe and is largely better quality

I will continue on this way until I feel the 'legal' market truly allows all who wish to participate in

frankly I do not ever see that happening here in Jerz with local govt run amok defying it's own voters repeatedly with little to no consequence

meanwhile all they are doing is setting themselves up for more lawsuits.. what happens then when tax rate goes up up up

< save our stoner culture! >

two recent weed events I went to

both amazing to be a part of real stoner culture alive and well and you love to see it

first a few weeks back in manhattan the nyc growers showcase an event bringing together 3 new york growers: thekolector semper frosty and homegrow long island

this was a more expensive ticket than I usually spring for but this was an all inclusive weed smoaking event and you get a sample from each of the 3 featured growers at the door all three top nawtch

ticket also included edibles from 3 different vendors and the dab bar in the front that I really didn't know about until the end had a great time :)

my brah I met in the line out front got me too baked so I didn't get to network as much as I would have liked to with the growers I always love to hear the story and share mine

interesting place it was at called workandroll nyc a cannabis friendly co-wroking space and they host events on weekends if I was a city person this is the kind of place I could see myself working at

next up went to the most recent njgreenscene

I'd been invited a few other times but couldnt make it but this time I headed up norf and was glad I did

much more affordable ticket and depending how early you show get a sample or preroll at the door

easily could have spent $4-500 there no doubt the 'legal' market would never allow such an event had to be 12 maybe 15 local growers all Jerz or tristate and again very impressive flower / edibles / extracts

we often hear of the "legacy to legal" pipeline etc in the cannabiz realm

so I was curious and feeling chatty after the shine bright like diamond rippp

spoke with nearly all about what they had to offer I told my story shared some stickers listened intently to theirs but after that I really wanted to know

do you want to be in the Jerz (or other) 'legal' weed market?

the answers suprised me a few are jumping thru the hoops and looking to make that move many more seemed to think it wasn't worth the effort

but to me that is a fail for the crc and Jerz as a whole that 100% of those there are not looking to go legal

< about that legacy to legal route >

our gov't places so many barriers in front of those in the legacy market who really would want to be legal for the obvs reasons

yet still when weighing all the facts these legacy operators are making a biznuss decision choosing to stay on that side

choosing not to play the find a mayor who says yes game

legacy to legal sure it's pretty simple if you just want to WORK for megaweedcorp but if you want to start your own craftgrownweedcorp good luck to you

like everything in Jerz you need connections and if you don't have them you may do a bunch of paperwork

pay the crc and a bunch of lawyers but never get to open your weed store and that is WRONG

EVERYONE from the legacy market that wants to go legal as AN OWNER should have that opportunity and until that happens the crc has failed

when I go back that event and ask each grower and they say yes goin legal my home town approved me it was so easy I'm so happy to not have to risk my freedom anymore to grow weed

until the day that happens THE CRC HAS FAILED in it's stated social equity mission

< what about that pineapple guy >

recently I've shared some of my struggle

where I sometimes say 'it's complicated' in regards to revealing my identity to a wider audience at large

many of you shared words of support and I truly thank you for that

when you're like me and you have adhd and you work largely at home alone you can tend to get inside your own head fairly often

almost like a mental rabbit hole of what if's

but really we can only control what we do right? we can't really control how other people will react to what we do?

yet I do fear those what if's and so I been talking about it first with my therapist and more recently with some more important people in my life

and then last week just randomly with an aquaintance from my time spent shit posting about weed on twitter

it's just funny how life works because when I get in my head about this stuff as I mentioned I'd often thought of this person as like literally the one person that I even know of let alone have any relationship with

some of you may know him now as Curt Robbins of Higher Learning I barely know him but this day few weeks back I guess he reached out to me to join twiiter community but something in my mind took this as sign

to ask him about his time operating in the cannabis space using an alias one of the best I've ever heard of actually -- Gooey Rabinski how his life might help me better understand my own struggle so we did chat for bit on it

he helped me to see things a little more clearly there so I thank you Curt much love

it's really odd how the world works and we make these random connections but I am thankful that it does

< wrap it up dawg >

true I've gone on for a minute.. so yea I have some other weed website projects in the pipeline but they are moving slow

my regular website biz still takes the majority of time and pays some of the bills at leaving the extra time for my weed work as I like to call it

I'll keep at it just know even though it's slow go I am working on things and stuff and will let ya know when it's ready to share

that's all for this year ;)

jk I will try to do this more often this year til next time

your pal,

that pineapple guy :)

Blog

bluntboy

Jerz cannabis one year later: failure to launch

I'm really just a stoner dad from Jerz (poorly) writing a blahg about weed again

It's been one year since cannabis was made legal and marijuana was decriminalized here in Jerz.

That seemingly minor point is just one of major issues with the Law passed by the NJ leg and signed by your boy murph dawg.

There's a dirty secret at the root of this.. none of the parties involved want YOU the local New Jersey resident and potential entrepreneur to have a place in this new industry.

Cannabis vs Marijuana

Cannabis is legal in Jerz but without a medical card you can not buy it. of course YOU can not grow cannabis. For that you need a license..

Marijuana is decriminalized but you can not possess more than 6oz. Same as above YOU can not grow marijuana.

Why is this? Because they wrote the law that way.. ok but why did they do that?

It's a good question.. one worth asking.. imo obvs this is all about keeping the traditional market players excluded while the CRC continues to delay.

from the grey market gifting delivery services with billboards down to your guy and all the traditional market players inbetween they all operate at risk of arrest and prosecution by the state

the state that voted

and when they do get busted the Jerz mega weed corp trade group will be there to play cheerleader.

We commend the @BCPONJ for its role in the arrests of the owners/operators of a #NewJersey chain that illegally sold #marijuana. Our ATCs are ready for the AU market to open, which will provide NJ residents with a safe & legal place to purchase #cannabis. https://t.co/pxwB9x6PRl

— New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (@njcannabistrade) February 8, 2022

DO NOT FORGET THIS

The CRC and the delay dealy delays

Best 1 Minute Timer GIFs | Gfycat

it's not a mistake cause it's baked into the cake.

About the delays. The current delay that is causing all the tears from the msogang crowd. wHeN wiLl JerZ aLLoW AdULt USe sALEs ???

to that I say who cares? not me. the writing is on the wall here in Jerz I will spell it out for you..

The law was written to favor the existing medical operators in very specific ways mainly to gift them the right to be the first adult use operators

One Million GIF - One Milliondollars Dr Evil Mike Myers - Discover & Share GIFs

coming soon 4 or more existing Medical Cannabis providers will pay 1 MILLION DOLLARS so they can have the very valuable first mover advantages in the Jerz Adult Use cannabis market.

this is going to happen.

when it happens does not interest me.

why?

because it excludes everyone else in Jerz most notably those who've been the most harm from the war on drugs african american males.

The logo says social justice but it reads #msogang

To me it's important to focus on two other specific delays are harming locals disproportionately still no regulations for delivery licenses or regulations concerning edibles.

but why? imo delivery services have less barriers to entry than say retail..

with edibles they hide behind "safety" but all this does is allow existing brands enter the market quicker once they do decide to make up the rules.

In the meantime Jerz don't worry the tradional market will provide while the CRC delays they'll continue to risk their freedom in the process.

Local Cannabis Bans

Ban Hammer GIFs | Tenor

The ballot question passed by 2 to 1 margin yet nearly the inverse ratio of towns have banned any type cannabis business. Why?

Nearly all that allow do limit the amount and types of cannabis biznusses they will allow within the town.

We've heard a lot lately about how limited licenses are the root of all inequity in the cannabis industry and here in Jerz we've seen and heard the reefer madnuss spewing from deez local elected moufs for far too long.

The more I've thought about this the blah blah at town meetings over the past few months is just a performance.

It's all about the bag. The fat paper bags of cash they are going to be looking for when mega canna corp comes calling looking to reverse the ban.

Be careful FBI / DOJ likes these local cannabis corruption cases.

No HomeGrow for YOU

I will begin selling weed on March 21st just like the white guys to protest the pending passage of SB2703 - https://t.co/h4ZGBAYC86 - I look forward to Mercer County Prosecutor Onofri prosecuting me for this. pic.twitter.com/pbRNWOZKX7

— NJWeedman (@NJweedman) March 13, 2019

Why does Jerz allow rich white owned corporations to grow cannabis but our local tax paying citizens can not grow marijuana?

it's about control on two levels.. corporate control of the cannabis market and law enforcement control exploiting otherwise law abiding citizens by potentially branding them criminals if the wrong person knocks on the door.

As I've told you many times pre panera bread I was a regular homebrewer. We made some good beers.

If you do everything fast maybe brew day to drinking could be 15-18 days. That's a 5 hour min brew day then checking on it daily during fermentation transfering it adding carbonation letting settle before that first pour.

Now homegrowing I'm told is a much longer process on the short side your looking at 3mo+ or 90ish days plus you need more costly equipment it's a much bigger commitment

And well the point I always come back to here when it comes to homegrow as some threat to cannabis biz: It's Bullshit.

take a look at how much weed tax revenue the other states bring in while allowing homegrow. I would love to see an accurate survey of cannabis users in say Cali or Colorado what % of cannabis users actually grow. I would be shocked if it was 20% it's likely somewhere between 5-10%

It's a plant. Proven over 100's of years to be safer than all the other drugs we use and abuse

all should be free to grow it!

Find the Good

D- POOR EFFORT REDUE : r/speling

ok what has gone right in the past year? it's not much overall to be honest

The fact simple possession arrests have ended is good and many have had their cannabis charges expunged also good.

please help me here I'm grasping at straws yes I would like the straw please

What are you even saying man?!?!

Clue Card Game Images

many today will be playing the blame game and there's plenty of it to pass around to the left to avoid death

but really who is to blame..

you may point to the CRC and they say we are handcuffed by the law.. ok but are you muzzled too?

if you see something say something

you may point to your boy murph dawg.. he did bad math. if he wanted a resounding victory he needed to deliver homegrow

but he's barely supported it and now with his slim margin win and no more elections he has no clout and he doesn't run things in Jerz

Alas there's just one suspect left

it was sc*tari

in the trenton back rooms

with the pen

Blog

bluntboy

the view from pineapple hq: vol 3

Today's late news that Toms River is planning to be the next NJ muncipality in line to ban Cannabis businesses in the town told me that it's time to dig deeper into exactly how the Town Opt Out provision of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (NJCREAMMA) will serve to limit the amount of people able to enter the regulated or legal Cannabis industry via the Micro License Provision. Lets just say for now the area holds a special place in my heart.

Im Tired Of Being The Underdog Loser GIF - ImTiredOfBeingTheUnderdog Underdog Loser - Discover & Share GIFs

To undertand how this will play out in real time you need to be aware of some facts from the law that has been passed and signed by your boy murph dawg:

for the first 18 or 24 months only 37 total cannabis cultivators will be allowed in the state
however this does not apply to the microbusiness applicants

So this should be a good thing on paper right? It opens things up for the little guys and will alow them to enter the market quicker won't it? well I would but..

Sweet dee has a heart attack episode 10 season 4 GIF on GIFER - by Yozshura

Let's talk numbers .. the number of NJ cultivation operations that will be allowed in the first two years

existing NJMMP approved operations that aim to become approved to enter the adult-use market first (12)
prospective NJMMP operations whom have been waiting since the 2019 RFA and up til months ago those applications had been mired in court (25)

Of the existing operators all 12 have at least one cultivation location and many have already moved onto expanding into another. Almost the same for retail but a few have lagged behind there I think potentially 2 (MPX NJ and Justice Grown) are approved cultivation but no retail location yet to open but the point here is these 12 have the largest advantage in the NJ adult use market as they are all likely to be approved to enter adult use market within 6-12 mos imo obvs.

Me Me GIF - Me Gumby PickMe - Discover & Share GIFs | Gif, Thats not my, Cool gifs

Now we're onto the 25 prospectives. Of note for our discussion here is 7 cultivation licenses are available in this round licenses that could be released literally in days weeks or months but these 7 will also count so math time

37 -12 - 7 = 18

From the original 37 we really have only about half of those that are actually up for grabs. As with all the original NJMMP cannabis cultivation licenses these will be some the most sought after by MSOs (multi state operators) and therefore realistically out of reach for most indiviuals.

To most individuals that are looking to enter the NJ cannabis market who are not wealthy or very successful in their prior careers they are likely considering the mirobusiness provisions of the new law. There's a few limits on the micro businesses as far as a maximium number of employees (10) and limiting the size of the business to 2500 sq ft. These limits among others are written into the law but there's another one here that's of interest at the moment:

at least 51 percent of the owners, directors, officers, or employees of the microbusiness shall be residents of the municipality in which the microbusiness is located, or to be located, or a municipality bordering the municipality in which the microbusiness is located, or to be located;

source - https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/S0500/21_R2.HTM

Did you catch that? they slip this stuff in quick so you gotta stay on the ready pham.

basically more than half of the OWNERS need to live in the town (or the municipality bordering the municipality) where you may wish to establish you cannabis business. Now let's look specifically at Toms River..

Do you know how many people live there? the numbers I used when I built this site based on the 2010 census I believe.. just over 93k

Now let's talk about some other nearby town councils / mayors who have that ban hammer ready

Lakewood - 102682

Brick - 75516

Jackson - 57073

Berkeley Township - 41747

Lavallette - 1849

Point Pleasant Beach - 4544

Seaside Heights - 2903

Surf City - 1187

Some more quick math there.. and we're quickly at over 380,000 people in Ocean county towns that are having town gov't decide for them whether or not they can participate in the legal adult use cannabis industry.

here's a short scene how I imagine the give and take sausage making process of law making looks like

Sausage GIF on GIFER - by Bludsmith

lawmaker: I don't understand cannabis but I hear it's popular why don't you industry and activist guys make a law for us

industry: cap the cultivation for the first few years to help us get established

activist: ok but give us homegrow and more microbiz

industry: homegrow nah bro.. but we'll open up to all microbiz you want no caps there

industry2: dude why are you giving that away

activist: well that seems like great way for more social equity to reach the local communities we are still going to fight for homegrow ok it's not the best but it's a start see ya industry guy and guy2

[activist leaves]

industry2: dude you gave away uncapped micro

industry: don't worry all the towns will ban it before they ever get a chance to apply <snickers>

awe that was cute but fake cause you know activist guy never gets to the backroom in Trenton

thank you for attending my head talk

Blog, Toms River, Town Marijuana Ban, Town Cannabis Opt Out

bluntboy

the view from pineapple hq: vol 2

When we last left off I was feeling that what's next heavily. It's July 2019.. after Camden the post show glow has worn away and the admittedly minor weed charges hung over my emotions for about a week until I was able to talk more with my lawyer whom I can not thank enough.

As I wrote in my July 2019 blog "starting my medical marijuana journey" I'd never sought to get my medical marijuana card until after my arrest but obtaining it did in fact lead to my charges being dropped. Looking back now as they say hindsight is 20/20. Had I not been arrested I likely would not have found my best marketing partner Veriheal. Furthermore I likely would not have turned the stoopid weed website into something more than just another side project. So I do want to say thank you to all of you who clicked my links and got your NJ Medical Card with their help. I really do appreciate this support.

Around that time because of the support I was seeing. I poured more of my effort into the njlegalize.me site. Making sure I stayed up with all of the New Jersey Marijuana Legalization News and Information and keeping everyone informed. Regularly updating the NJ Medical Marijuana Doctors and Dispensaries directories ... it's been a blurry three + years on this journey .. but now we time travel once again within this story *poof* now it's February 2020..

Still so hopeful for the new year ahead.. but so blissfully unaware of what is about to come and change everything for everyone. Earlier that month I got a message on twitter from @javierhasse (thank you) that I'd won tickets to this Cannabis Conference in Boston later that month. It was in two weeks and it was on a Wed and Thursday 6 hours from home but my beautiful loving and supportive wife and family juggled our schedules and we made it work. The catch was I'd have to leave NJ early Wed and then return around midnite Thurs. I saw this as a good opportunity for me. I usually don't attend these types of events because they're pricey. I believe the ticket I had won was priced around $400.

Now I'm not looking to open a dispensary and although I'd like to learn I don't know how to grow good weed. To be fair as much as you may like this moderately popular twitter account and website it's solid and means the world to me but it's not a huge following. I am surely just another outsider and not an insider. You might like me but there's plenty who don't or won't and that's ok. I'm not Jerry Seinfeld obsessing over whether or not everyone likes me. So this weed show it's not quite my kind of party but I wanted feel it out and my mission was to look for the stoners. I opted not to go over the top and eschewed the Pineapple suit for the Pineapple shirt.

I was up early and left right at 4:20 early shift on time departure. For some odd reason I took the Palisades pkwy. I'd always wanted to drive that road but never did. It was still dark at that hour so I didn't get to take in any scenic views. As I made my way into NY state then onto the Merritt pkwy thru Connecticut and now into Massachusetts it was nearing 9AM oh snap you can buy weed at a store in Mass? Huh how bout that. You don't need a card either. Huh. Ok I pulled over at the next rest stop to plot where I stop at on the way into Boston. Found a store called Good Chemistry in Worcester that opened soon enough and according to this handy receipt in my Google photos I bought 1/8th Purple Durango, 1/8th Lemon Skunk and some gummie edibles. Bing bang boom and I'm back on the road.

Got to Boston just in time to get checked in. Puff a quickie. Setup my snack station. Then I made moves down to this conference. It was interesting to see all the suits and the Patagonia vests. I wore neither. I looked for anyone that wasn't wearing a suit and those were the people I wanted to talk to most. Sorry suits. The conference was interesting at times but really most of the talks didn't really spark anything for me it was making the connections that did. I talked to just about anyone who'd lend me their ear. There was free food. I ate the edibles repeatedly. By the time that evening session rolled around I met this guy who ran the book booth he was cool why can't I remember his name? was it Mark? We walked outside and shared a J (before times or was it?) and I headed back up to my hotel room.

I met another stoner in the elevator and actually delivered an elevator pitch. I was wiggling my way into this weed biz. So I thought at the time. Back in my room later that nite I grabbed 5-6 weed related domains with a new project in mind for each of them. Just like this website I would build them all from scratch develop an audience profit all that jazz cabbage. The next day more conferencing more connecting but in my mind the gears are turning fast. It's like 4D chess but only I'm playing. I left the event a bit early. I'd talked to too many people. On the drive home my mind raced with thoughts about what the future may hold. It was 2/20/2020. I remember clearly that I was back home at 11:52 PM the family was sound asleep. I was wired for another hour or so from the night coffees but late that nite I went to bed like all of us not quite knowing what the next year would hold for us all.

Soon Gobert would test positive for the 'rona. President Silver would shut down the league and the rest of the country followed suit.. any thoughts or dreams I had that day had been dashed from my memory until this blog post today. For the next yearish til now I've had to put all those projects on hold. Time is a flat circle but that doesn't make more of it. Sadly too I wasn't always able to keep the directory pages here up to date but my family and client's needs came first. I was lucky to be able to make things work by juggling my schedule home schooling became my main focus for much of 2020. My family means the world to me and has hard as 2020 was here at times it was a blessing to have that extra time together even as stressy as it was. As things are ever so slowly returning normalish I'm looking closely now at what needs to get cleaned up here and back at those mothballed projects too. I'll be on it over the next few weeks.

I hope you'll stick around to find out what's next for that pineapple guy..

Til next time.

Blog

bluntboy

the view from pineapple hq: vol 1

This story has beginning middle and end like most. If you know me in the real world and you've ever heard me tell a story.. well uh I would but.. well you will lose a few minutes but you get a glimpse into my stoner brain.

The story of njlegalize.me began someday in November 2017it was the 16th day in fact according to the whois records. As I've said many times before I'm just a stoner Dad from New Jersey with a moderately popular website and twitter handle. Around that time I'd been working to close the deal on a new project but it fell through at the last minute. I run my own business and I needed a new project murph dawg had just been elected and promised to legalize weed in his first 100 days.. and now 1030ish days past then here we are today.

It was all in a flash.. the time where does it goooo.. *poof* now it's around 1AM 6/29/2019 and then there I was in the back of this Uber. I'd just been over my buddy's house all day brewing beer. It was more than a hobby for us. At that time we had dreams to open our own brewery and they may still come true someday. It was a double batch the party was coming up and we had to be ready. I had more weed on me than normal but it was nothing crazy 1/12thish of what today you can carry. I didn't think anything of it really. That was until the driver blew that STOP sign. It wasn't more than 15 secs later when I saw the flashing lights. The details about that moment in time are not important but the events later that nite and the next few days and weeks are.

As I was released from custody it was about 2:30 am the officer asked me "do you want me to call you an Uber?" I walked home. That was a low point for me. Walking 2.8 miles home the emotions I felt ranged from anger to sadness to shame to questioning everything I'd done in my life to that point and all at the same time. I really remember the weight of at all. I'd unfortunately been arrested for weed before but this was different I was Dad now. I didn't want my "mistakes" to burden my family. How was I going to deal with this?

When I woke the next day I was still a mess with *all the feelings* it was Saturday the Phish from Vermont had been playing Camden. I had plans to go with my brahs that we brewed with Friday. I wasn't sure about going really until my wife asked me what time I was leaving on Sunday. That picked me up a bit. I had bought the infamous pineapple suit weeks earlier. At the time I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but there it was on Sunday staring at me. Still not really sure what I was doing but I started making PB&J's and grabbed a bunch of waters. Got my wife's longboard skateboard out. Two bungie cords and two coolers. One hard and one soft. A small peice of cardboard and Sharpie. It was out there in that Camden lot when everything got real.

END WEED ARRESTS TODAY

I shouted it towards anyone and everyone. It was that day everything really changed to me. I met and talked to many phishy folks that day. I told my story they shared theirs. I offered Free PB&J and water and lent my ear as they did theirs. I cried a few times. The hardest during that Reba. By the end of that show I felt better it was clear to me that the stoopid weed site I had started had meaning. Something I surely knew but hadn't really registred yet. My story was unique cause Uber but I was hardly alone in this club. That day the stories I shared and the stories others shared with me told me no it's not a stoopid weed website.

This is my story..

I'll tell it the way I always do in short bursts and out of order..

the story of that pineapple guy

Blog, New Jersey Legalization

bluntboy

starting my medical marijuana journey

One month ago I was arrested for cannabis and while right now I'm still unable to share the details at this time I do want to share what happened after and how one month later I found myself a New Jersey medical marijuana patient. Back when I started this website around November 2017 and in the months prior I began a quest to learn more about something I've used medically for many years.. marijuana.. cannabis.. weed..

During that time my feelings about cannabis evolved and came to be summed up in a few words: all cannabis use is medical.

Even though I would qualify for the NJ Medical Marijauna Program prior to my arrest I didn't really consider joining mainly for two reasons. On principle I see all current Cannabis laws as additional prohibition even those that exist to increase medical access. The other reason is at this time there's no ATC within even an hours drive from my home. One month ago didn't really see the reason to pay to put myself on another government list for the right to drive further and pay more.. but One month plus a day everything seemed different.

I couldn't risk having what just happened to me happen again even if the chances were slim it was a risk I couldn't take. I know I'm over here hiding behind a pineapple right now but I assure you that I'm a real person a real Dad a real small business owner who just wound up in some bracelets and made the papers over some weed.

So I started to look more closely at the NJ Medical Marijuana Program and without talking too much about my health conditions and such I'll try and explain things. I researched in more detail the qualifying conditions and found that I would surely be eligible with my diagnosed condition and so I contacted my doctor. I spoke with their office it was a Friday. I didn't hear back so I called again on Tuesday still waiting to talk to the Doctor they said. Over that weeked however I was poking around reddit and saw a thread with some information about Veriheal and how their service helps connect doctors with patients and simplifies the process. At this point I was still hoping to hear back from my Doctor but by the time I spoke with their office again on Tuesday I didn't feel like they had taken my request seriously and lost hope they'd be able to help me.

I spoke with some others on reddit that evening feeling more confident Veriheal could help me I contacted them and decided to ask their support team some questions about the process. Tbey were helpful and able to answer the questions I had about the 3 mo certification vs 1 year and what types of health information I needed for the consult. After I paid the $199 fee they scheduled my appointment with the doctor for the next day online.

I logged on to their system at the required time and was greeted by the doctor at the exact time of the appointment. Does that ever happen in an actual doctors office? I know it never has for me. Again without disclosing too much about my health information the Doctor and I spoke she asked details about my conditions and whether I'd had previous experience self medicating with cannabis. After the evaluation was completed and she let me know I'd be approved from the program and to wait for the reccomendation email that you use to apply with the state. I had the email that next day and from there was able to submit my application to the state.

You'll need the registry ID number given to you and some additional information to apply with the New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program. You need a photo for the card, government ID and proof of NJ residence. The state charges you $100 unless you qualify for a $20 fee under the condidtions listed here. After I sent everything to the state I had the card in hand about 10 days later.

I'll be creating a new Veriheal FAQ page on njlegalize.me to help answer more questions. I know since I posted about it in the past few weeks many of you have reached out to me on Twitter and I'm happy to help in anyway I can. Using the njlegalize.me Veriheal links helps support my work here and I appreciate that greatly. Thanks for reading this far. Please consider registering a user account here as I'm going to be rolling out more and more new features over the next few months and I'd love to have you along for the ride.

full disclosure: njlegalize.me has partnered with Veriheal to help bring access to Medical Marijuana to more patients here in New Jersey and in other states where available. We receive a small referral bonus for those who use Veriheal's service from our link.

Blog, New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program, Veriheal, Marijuana Arrests

bluntboy

dat #Friday on time

did anything happen this week here with the weed news man I wasn't sure?

just kidding listened to the majority of that hearing meeting whatever you call it nonsense on Monday and after hearing the birds sing and weighing all the media chatter there after I don't think this is going to pass on Monday but frankly it's for all the wrong reasons that it won't. Turner Rice Cardinale etc these people are beyond clueless. stoned driving? seriously.. that is not a real problem. drunk driving is. the two are not the same in any way.

do you know what is a real problem? people being arrested and having their lives ruind over Cannabis. that's the main reason why even this bill is flawed in so many ways I do want to see it pass. I'm tired of seeing people arrested for small amounts of weed.

the lack of Home Growing being included and the lack of a real way for the little guys to get involved in the market are the main reasons why I would be opposed to seeing this pass but I fear the opportunity may be lost if the state does not act now. if decriminalization was a real option under this admin I would be all for that but this has been mostly a cash grab for the hungry hungry (hippo) state budget from the start we know this.

interesting breakdown from this article regarding the taxes. so on top of the $42 per ounce tax from the state locals can also apply up to 3% as well some quick math here

450 * 3% = $13.50

so the effective tax is now looking more like $55.50 per ounce in some locales with current prices

getting back to my point here.

no one I know is paying that.

let this pass.

let this new "legal" market fail bigly.

let this underground market prosper.

let the expected tax revenue fall short.

we stand with you Ed.

Blog

bluntboy

Live Blogging the NJ Legislature from 42 miles away.. again

Ok the start of this Assembly Appropriations Committee has arrived you're welcome to listen along here right now sounds like a bunch of unrelated bills - Listen Here

warning this is pretty boring.

12:40 - interesting bill now regarding dark money in politics. could help us find out more info about what companies are lobbying against #HomeGrow

1:00 - still going on this bill right now sounds as there's some issue here it could place a heavy burden on small non-profit who are lobbying on important issues such as the environment etc..

1:10 - Jeff. Jeff we're good. We're good thank you > ROLL CALL

1:18 - Raz Baraka (Newark Mayor) speaking on the #cannabis bill. will not take a position on the bill today. but immediately segues into how many arrests they've had in Newark for Marijuana in the past year

1:19 - discussing Expungements and making that process easier for average people

1:22 - enlightened thoughts here on the process (paraphasing) the onus should not be placed on the individual while corporations are profiting. brings up the point that prisioners should also be released from incarceration for marijuana offenses. Thank you Raz

1:23 - free the Cannabis prisoners from the War on Drugs!

1:25 - and now switching gears to the bill for dula funding. I am in favor of this.

1:31 - Lunching back to that ginger chicken

1:47 - sorry still listening. all about these womens health bills at the moment.

1:49 - ROLL CALL challenge is hard many bills do not suggest it for most users. got sidetracked trying to find a bug. ROLL CALL

1:51 - my mouse is dying.

1:59 - SO MANY ROLL CALLS

2:00 - where's da weed at?

2:04 - "we're never out of bills here. we got plenty today folks"

2:15 - difference between dry needling and accupunture in case you wondered..

2:28 - Bill Caruso please settle down back there.

2:45 - new chair voice is much more soothing I could just nap here maybe for a few zzzzzzz

2:48 - just heard a soft whisper "we'll be here all week"

2:54 - discussing Sandy relief. insane there's 1000 familes that are still not home yet. that make me very sad :'(

2:59 - sounded like a note was just being written and passed..

3:05 - onto the other pressing issue everyone's interested in today.. shark fins.

3:15 - ok they're on break now til 3:45 be back then kids

3:49 - still looks like they're on break the good stuff is coming.

4:00 - still waiting.. still waiting.. Phish - Crosseyed & Painless~Harry Hood - 7/10/13 - PNC Arts Center

4:42 - ok this is still on pause I guess.. I'll try to actively follow along for as long as I can but we're creeping into the dinner time agenda here now

4:53 - working on some chips and roasted garlic hummus now

5:39 - is this starting back up again. sources say yes. I say I am running out of snacks and time..

5:54 - sounds like this is back on shortly let me go get my mind right and I'll be back here for as long as possible before the fam gets back home and I rurn back into a Dad

6:07 - ok this started back up now.

6:20 - can't really follow along right now will pick back up when I can listen later

6:43 - from my insider source - "so they just voted out a 10 / all those other numbers for the medicinal and now they're waiting on committee amendments for the recreation"

7:00 - I'm back listening now to Phil Rizzo's blah

7:05 - Leo Bridgewater speaking on expungment issue now

7:07 - Mike from CMMNJ Spoke as well

7:08 - moving to substitution.. this is happening now

7:09 - Voting on A4497 right now. can't follow the individual votes on the audio little guy is right here.

7:11 - Committee passed the bill. mic drop.

7:17 - listening to the Senate judicary session right now just getting started.

7:18 - discussing S10 and S2426 now

7:21 - moved to satelite dispensaries issue regarding existing ATC and new 6 license holders.

7:34 - paged into bath time back now for now

7:37 - expungements discussion bill would allow for persons charged with up to 5lbs

7:45 - ROLL CALL on S2705 (I think?) Passed out of Committee

7:47 - Scutari talking its S2703 time. THE BIG ONE.

7:49 - Reading all the usual suspects in favor on to the record now without testimony

7:51 - and the opponents now.

7:52 - ROLL CALL gotta be on time for this one

7:53 - Votes happening.

7:55 - Doherty calls it a deal with the devil.. I mean we know it's not perfect but get off the soapbox

8:11 - Scutari speaking now missed a bunch of the votes debating the difference between cannabis use and alcohol use.

8:17 - after a long speech witha few good points Scutari votes yes bill is Released.

Blog

bluntboy

dat #Friday on time

been a while since I blogged here and with all the happenings I wanted to start something new on Friday @ 4:20 I'll post a blog with some of my thought about the latest New Jersey legalization news from the week

so this earlier this week I was watching some college hoops and I see the Gov. tweet something about Monmouth and I usually never do this (ok maybe one or two other times) but I fired off this tweet

gov where the #Weed at come on man ??

— njlegalize.me (@njlegalizeme) March 12, 2019

and then the next morning came the big announcement of a deal between the Murph and Dem Legislators

I’m thrilled to announce an agreement with my partners in the Legislature – @NJSenatePres, @SpeakerCoughlin, @SenatorScutari and @AnnetteQuijano – on the broad outlines of legislation to legalize adult-use marijuana.
https://t.co/Mbz6esZYvk

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 12, 2019

clearly this is all my fault.

Couple of stories about it all this week and now there's some hot committee action lined up for this Monday wild times in Trenton all heading towards a potential vote on 3/25

my initial quick thoughts after hearing the news: this bill is just a huge give away to corporate cannabis market. the facts are the current NJMMP Alternative Treatment Centers are automagically going to become adult use dispensaries. as was intended from the start. with that first mover advantage and limited competition coupled with the denial of Home Grow rights New Jersey will continue the limited marketplace framework right from medical cannabis into the new adult use market. add in the high tax rate and you have something that could have been great.. turned into a failure before it gets started.

myself I have conflicted views because there's some good things too. of course I would like to see legislation passed that would end cannabis use prosecution legalize the plant we all know can promote so much healing and I want to see people in my state take advantage of this new Industry so we'll see what happens. I do have high hopes. I am hopeful that some holdouts on the Dem side may help get some late changes made but it could be too far down the road. if we do miss this opportunity to "legalize" who knows when it would be able to happen again. the voices asking for a voter referendum or just straight decriminalization might not be wrong. but all those lobby dollars gotta pay something amiright? If you're into that sort of thing you can read the copy of the updated Assembly Bill 4497 here.

some other news this week on the Town Marijuana Ban front as Brick bans recreational sales. This comes just a week after the proposed Jersey Shore Theraputic Health Care dispensary location changed plans and now is looking to move forward with only a cultivation facility in Brick. hopefully a non-issue if adult use does pass but this highlghts the lack of medical Marijuana availability currently in some areas of the state that are underserved like us at the Jersey Shore.

more on the paid anti-cannabis lobbying scandals issure to be learned in the coming weeks as previously noted Point Beach mayor Stephen Reid was found to be hiding the fact he was working as a paid lobbyist for NJ-Ramp while holding elected office now we find out from our friend Patrick at rabblerouser.blog that former Assembly Person Mary Pat Angelini is actually the president of NJ-Ramp a big no no. bad week for anti-pot folks.

thanks for reading along. if you made it this far I'd like to ask you to register an account (twitter signup) here and speak your mind about the issues in the comment sections. I love meeting and engaging with everyone on twitter and I will continue to do that but I'm looking to shift some of the focus back here to the website to that end this is a start in that effort bringing you more original content.

of course I'm also working on some new features and njlegalize.me merchandise coming soon. those early adopters reap the (free) rewards :)

have a great weekend out there stoners spring has sprung get outside and soak up some sun!

Blog

bluntboy

Live Blogging the NJ Legislature from 42 miles away

This is starting now. Roll Call.

I will update along below new info will be posted with time stamps. If you want to chime in I'll share some nuggets on Twitter but I invite everyone to login here and post your comments below. I will work to answer any questions you guys have.

Here's a link to listen along - https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/mp.asp?M=A/ENCODER-4&S=2018L

Discussing Senate Bill 2703 and Assembly ammendments

Immediately stated no HOME GROW rights in the ammendments at the start.

Sen. Scutari Speaking now

11:11 - Talking a lot about the failed drug war

11:15 - wants to eliminate "drug dealers" speaks about how he can buy Marijuana 2 blocks from his office NJWeedman he is talking about you.. now shifted to under 21 use comments they won't be allowed in these stores then Correctly points out 0 Marijuana Deaths all time.

11:19 - Sen Ron Rice Speaking now with Sen. Cardinale coming up next

#MARIJUANASEXOILS

11:23 - Fears Edibles in the Community?? Negative impact on communities of color.. not enough Social Justice provisions in the current bill

11:26 - Rice states Racial impact statement is missing from this legislation

11:28 - Cardinale released his statement against the bill yesterday available here - https://www.senatenj.com/index.php/cardinale/memo-on-legalizing-marijuana-cardinale-addresses-officials-staff-nj-press-in-advance-of-committee-vote/41456

11:30 - based on that link Cardinale seems like he's well informed

11:35 - Cardinale is speaking now. Fears of Traffic concerns? Marijuana Addiction? calls it a net negative.

11:38 - says Driving while stoned is difficult to enforce

11:40 - wonder if there's been more deaths from Drunk drivers or Stoned drivers?

11:43 - 9% of Marijuana Users become addicted. scary.

11:46 - Tried to cut him short "I'm going to take another 30 minutes errr seconds" laughter

11:49 - Ron's back "You gotta slow down and do the research" he says

11:55 - Info on Rice's racial impact statment

CHAPTER 286 - https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/PL17/286_.HTM

11:56 - heard a MAGA entered on the record

11:58 - a former Rhode Island legislator is speaking now.. missed his name.

- Patrick Kennedy was the speaker

12:02 - speaking about the concerns with minors having increased access to marijuana edibles.

12:06 - some vigorous back forth here with the Chairman and this guy over banning Alcohol in New Jersey lololololooolololol

12:10 - Dianna Houenou from ACLU-NJ speaking now about the great disparity in arrests in New Jersey ... and she's getting the wrap it up eed

12:13 -speaks on the Need for expungments and Social Justice provisions.. 88 people will be arrested for Cannabis possesion today. Need for openness and transparency on this process.

12:15 - MAGA guy asks why not Decriminalization instead of Legalization??

12:19 - Question from Kevin Rooney for Dianna if the ACLU supports Rice's Racial Impact study.. long answer. not sure how they stand. really. he tries to pin her down on the yes or no.. couldn't do it.

12:22 - Long list of those stated in favor of committee now. Kate Bell Ken Wolski about 20 others I couldn't catch.. and now a list of opposed no need to testify as well.

12:30 - Prohibitionists keep harping on Stoned Driving as a cause of accidents.

12:32 - Ocean County Sheriff Mastronardy speaking now about how Colorado needs to go to Wyoming to get new Cops now haha

12:34 - Why can't these cops just mean what they really say.. they like their jobs. you're right it is about money. on all sides. no doubt.

12:38 - Sheriffs Assoc would much rather keep arresting 88 people per day protecting thier bottom line

12:42 - Scutari contesting the law enforcement points against legalization regarding Drug Recognition Experts

12:47 - very curious to know how many people have been arrested in the state last year for DUI for Cannabis and for Alcohol

12:48 - We have video link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lASpGvVz9fo

12:49 - Assmbleyman Holley griling this clown right now over the disparity in Marijuana Arrests for People of Color

12:52 - Continues Grilling him and the clown has no answers "This Keeps you in Business" he says. about the money.

12:55 - Dannielsen picks up where Jamal left off chair got pissed gavel banging ensues clown spits a bunch of nonsense

1:04 - more talk about the costs of increased DRE officers. news flash stoned driving is not a problem. drunk driving is.

1:11 - Sen Singleton again pointing out to the Law Enforcement panel the increased arrests. ends his point. cop tries to respond. "I didn't ask you a question" nicely said sir

1:15 - "The Day is getting long. 3 minutes please"

1:18 - Juan Cartagena speaking now on his history regarding past Marijuana Arrests

1:20 - Scott Rudder from the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association speaking now about the ancient origins of Cannabis as a medicine and how the majority of Americans now support legal Marijuana

1:23 - Monica Tang speaking now

1:32 - I just found out there's no lunch break huh

1:37 - Dean Dafis - Maplewood township committee one of the few municipalities in favor of Marijuana

1:42 - more questions about testing for Cannabis Impairment in drivers. there is no test for that.

1:53 - Tim? Where is Tim??

2:02 - Dara Servis speaking now from NJCIA

2:05 - Hugh O'Beirne speaking about the small business opportunities to minorities in this bill hmmmm

2:07 - Leo Bridgewater co-founder CannaGather NJ speaking right now.

2:09 - talking about how the Cannabis industry in this state is already in motion and the roots of Marijuana Arrests

2:11 - I will go back add links tags and make any corrections needed once this wraps up.

Reducing time to 2 mins now.

2:36 - Had to take a quick break NJ Weedman looks to be up next give hell Ed!

2:40 - NJ Weedman is opposed to this bill for a few reasons.. no religious exemption. lack of diversity. speaks to how he will openly challenge the law "selling weed like the white guys"

2:48 - Committee Chair announces that the current panel of two will be the last to testify today

Moura Nelson speaking now.

2:52 - Mentions Home Grow rights that really was not spoken about much today really. fait au complete

2:55 - Someone from Ease speaking in favor of the legislation missed his name originally.

2:56 - Testimony is completed.

3:01 - Motion on the bill Sweeney says members can speak after the vote. O'Scanlon votes No.

3:04 - Dawn Marie Addiego abstains. Thompson votes No.

3:07 - Sen. Oroho votes No. Sen. Bucco votes No.

3:09 - Sen. Sarlo abstains.

3:11 - Sen. Sweeney speaking now.

3:13 - Speaks to the desire to "regulate the industry" sounds like Yes.

3:14 - Sweeney votes Yes. Cunningham speaking now indicates Yes vote right away.