Trenton, NJ: Lawmakers have advanced legislation, Assembly Bill 20 (aka The Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act), to expand the state’s medical cannabis access program. The measure now awaits action from Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who has indicated that he will sign the bill into law.
The measure increases the total quantity of herbal cannabis that patients may obtain monthly from two ounces to three, and phases out the existing sales tax on medical cannabis goods. The proposal also for the first time permits dispensaries to provide edible cannabis products and to operate on-site consumption areas. Under the plan, patients certified to access medical cannabis products would have their registration validated for one-year rather than for four months.
The bill also proposes increasing the total number of medical cannabis providers and dispensaries. Regulatory changes instituted earlier this month by the state Health Department similarly seek to expand the total number of licensed providers statewide.
An estimated 50,000 New Jersey citizens are registered with the state to access medical cannabis.
For more information, contact Carly Wolf, NORML State Policies Coordinator, at (202) 483-5500.