Even if cannabis were somehow legalized, say, tomorrow, it’s gonna be a while before any sales actually happen. Have you seen a whip count? Me neither but say the votes are there and that our legislature passes S2703/A4497, the “New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act” and Governor Murphy signs in into law within the next few weeks.
(It might happen, y’all!)
That would mean a lavish bill signing ceremony sometime in March of 2019.
Then, it’ll be at least 18 months for regulators and gatekeepers to sort out the rules. I’d be shocked if recreational pot sales happen before September, 2020.
$500/oz + NO home grow!
And when pot sales finally do happen, it’ll probably go something like this: a small number of politically-connected insiders will get uncommonly rich off this booming new industry while the rest of us pay $500 an ounce for crappy bud.
Home cultivation gives patients an alternative to the $500/oz cartel model we’ve got now. But there’s no appetite in Trenton to let medical- or recreational consumers grow our own cannabis.