Understanding New Jersey’s Medical Cannabis Expansion Law
On July 2, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill 20 (AB 20 or the Act). AB 20’s expansion of New Jersey’s current medical cannabis program includes:
On July 2, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill 20 (AB 20 or the Act). AB 20’s expansion of New Jersey’s current medical cannabis program includes:
Employee Protections
In New Jersey, there are nearly 50,000 registered medical marijuana patients and only six Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) currently operating. New Jersey recently responded to public demand to revise and expand its medical marijuana program to address issues such as supply scarcity, employment and hiring concerns, and geographic access problems.
The Garden State’s Governor, Phil Murphy, signed the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act(CUMMA) on July 2, 2019. Specifically, the newly amended law:
Medical cannabis will now be more accessible to patients in New Jersey.
After many delays and a long battle with legislators, Governor Phil Murphy signed the “Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act” on July 2, considerably expanding the state’s existing medical cannabis program.
“Today’s legislation creates a medical marijuana program that is modernized, compassionate, progressive and meets the needs of patients,” said Governor Murphy.
The changes to the law include:
Pot Holes
Last week NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill that would quantifiably improve NJ’s ghastly, costly medical cannabis program. This legislation does some good things.
But here’s the real tea: 1) none of those positive changes are in effect yet 2) there are still only 6 dispensaries in NJ and 3) medical cannabis is still upwards of $500/oz in New Jersey, a price point that’s wildly out-of-line with most other states.
Murphy and the gang.
Recreational Marijuana Set for 2020
New Jersey decided to pause its efforts to legalize recreational cannabis in May 2019 after failing to secure enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill — a move that spurred a similar move in New York. Lawmakers instead plan to put the measure to vote during the 2020 general election in a move that would mirror that of many other states.
For example, the measure:
The Legislature is fast-tracking a revised bill expanding the state’s medical marijuana program to Gov. Phil Murphy while the administration holds off on its own expansion plans in an effort to ease tensions over the move.
Assembly Bill and Senate Bill 20, which the lower house approved by 66-5 vote with 6 abstentions and the upper house approved in a 31-5 vote, retains many provisions of the original medical marijuana legislation.
get your FL Office of Medical Marijuana Use card!
get your MD Medical Cannabis Commission card!