As more and more states along the eastern seaboard open up policies for legal cannabis, lawmakers in Trenton are creeping closer towards New Jersey cannabis becoming a reality for medical and recreational adult-use purposes. However, in a story published by the New York Times, the legal roadblocks and political hiccups delaying the Garden State’s push for grow houses is made clear.
New Jersey’s governor, Phil Murphy (D), has since taking office greatly expanded the state’s medical marijuana program, an initiative that was largely shelved by then-governor Chris Christie. Approximately 10,000 patients have enrolled in the expanded program since January, bringing the enrollees to nearly 25,000 statewide. However, since the spring, intra-party squabbling over the state’s budget between Murphy and Democratic state legislators have left little time for debate and passage of a full recreational cannabis agenda, a platform that was central to Murphy’s gubernatorial campaign.
Murphy’s proposed rec-use efforts for New Jersey cannabis would lead to a projected $80-million-dollar windfall for the state in tax revenue alone. While the delays from political infighting may not have the greatest optics, the delay, if it isn’t for too long, may be a blessing in disguise. Massachusetts, the latest state in the union to go fully legal, is still facing issues both legal and logistical in doling out licenses and proving appropriate and ample supplies of product for retailers. In California, a full seven months into legalization, after decades of legal medical use, plant-touching businesses still face shifting regulatory policies on the state and local level (to say nothing of a thriving black market begging for stricter enforcement).
All of this is to stay that New Jersey should take its time to develop an infrastructure for a fully legalized cannabis marketplace. New Jersey’s medical marijuana program, set to double this year, is already putting a major squeeze on legal suppliers. Speed bumps are inevitable, as our own Aaron Lachant has explained when discussing California: “It’s going to be a long process,” says Lachant. “It’s a monumental task. They are regulating an industry from the ground up for the first time. There’s no cookie cutter set of rules.” None of what Lachant stated about California is too different from any other state. New Jersey, too, shouldn’t fret about losing ground to New York state for the time being, either. New York, despite approving cannabis as a substitute medication for opioids last week, still has strong, but diminishing, headwinds on its own course towards legalization.
Every state that has gone legal, California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, et cetera, has faced pain points. Take heed, New Jersey, do your homework and due diligence to get everything as “right” or “properly planned out” before anything else. There will be speed bumps along the way for legalized New Jersey cannabis, but proper planning can make those bumps smaller. One way to build a roadmap to a statewide legalization program? Finding trusted and experienced people for the job.