{"id":80621,"date":"2025-03-19T05:20:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T13:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/former-new-jersey-senator-running-for-governor-says-it-is-time-to-let-medical-marijuana-patients-grow-their-own-plants\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T19:47:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T03:47:14","slug":"former-new-jersey-senator-running-for-governor-says-it-is-time-to-let-medical-marijuana-patients-grow-their-own-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/former-new-jersey-senator-running-for-governor-says-it-is-time-to-let-medical-marijuana-patients-grow-their-own-plants\/","title":{"rendered":"Former New Jersey Senator Running For Governor Says \u2018It Is Time\u2019 To Let Medical Marijuana Patients Grow Their Own Plants"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A former New Jersey Senate leader who\u2019s now running for governor says \u201cit is time\u201d to give medical marijuana patients an option to grow their own cannabis plants for personal use. He\u2019s also pledging to expand clemency for people impacted by marijuana criminalization if elected, and is expressing support for the establishment of cannabis consumption lounges.<\/p>\n

Steve Sweeney, who was the longest-serving Senate president in the state\u2019s history, said on Monday that he\u2019s heard public calls to legalize medical cannabis home cultivation\u2014and he agrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been involved with the journey toward legalization of cannabis for several years, from medical use to the transition to adult recreational use,\u201d he said. \u201cWe even phased out the tax on medical cannabis as adult recreational options became available to keep the price more affordable for medical patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHome cultivation was always going to be part of this process, it was essential to first establish a strong commercial foundation,\u201d Sweeney said. \u201cNow, several years into adult recreational use, it is time to allow home cultivation for medical patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

I hear you, New Jersey \u2014 and I\u2019ve been involved with this journey for years.<\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve established a strong commercial foundation, it\u2019s time to allow home cultivation for medical patients. pic.twitter.com\/W7syCjZna1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Steve Sweeney (@SteveSweeney_NJ) March 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Unlike most other states that have enacted cannabis legalization, New Jersey continues to prohibit home cultivation for both adults and medical marijuana patients.<\/p>\n

Separately, Sweeney recently responded to a questionnaire from the New Jersey Home Grow Coalition, expanding on his thoughts about cannabis policy reform objectives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe it\u2019s time for registered medical cannabis patients in New Jersey to have the right to home cultivation,\u201d he said. \u201cPatients deserve affordable and accessible treatment options, and home grow would provide a critical alternative for those who rely on cannabis for their health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Governor, I would support clear and transparent regulations to ensure a responsible and well-regulated medical cannabis home cultivation program,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked about his position on broader home cultivation rights for recreational consumers, Sweeney said he currently only supports letting registered patients grow their own plants.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe home cultivation can be responsibly implemented with clear guidelines on plant limits to balance patient access with a well-regulated marketplace,\u201d he said. \u201cProtecting patient care while ensuring a strong and stable regulated market is key.\u201d<\/p>\n

The candidate also weighed in on what he\u2019d do as governor to expand cannabis clemency for those who\u2019ve been impacted under prohibition.<\/p>\n

He said he\u2019d \u201cwork closely with legal experts, community organizations, and advocacy groups to implement a robust clemency program for non-violent cannabis-related offenses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must ensure that those who were unjustly criminalized under outdated laws have the opportunity to clear their records and rebuild their lives,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is an issue of fairness, and it is time New Jersey fully addresses it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further, Sweeney voiced support for allowing licensed cannabis consumption lounges in the state that \u201cprovide a safe and responsible space for adult-use consumers and medical patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese spaces would allow for social consumption in a controlled environment while ensuring compliance with public health and safety regulations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The former Senate president also said he agrees that people should be allowed to responsibly consume cannabis on their own time without it impacting their employment, similar to how alcohol is treated.<\/p>\n

\u201cResponsible adult cannabis consumption should not be grounds for workplace discrimination, just as we do not penalize legal alcohol use outside of work,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need common-sense protections for workers that respect both personal freedom and workplace safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Goldstein, an organizer with NORML who received a presidential pardon certificate under the Biden administration<\/a> after being formally forgiven for a 2014 cannabis possession case, told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that he and the cannabis coalition \u201ccertainly welcome Steve Sweeney in supporting medical cannabis cultivation at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Jersey residents face some of the highest regulated prices in the country and inconsistent product safety. Allowing a few personal gardens won\u2019t hurt the billion dollar industry,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m also pleased to see the Democrats leading the race for NJ governor consistently supporting personal cannabis cultivation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former senator\u2019s comments on home grow depart from what current Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has said on multiple occasions, arguing that the state\u2019s adult-use marijuana market needs to further mature before home grow is authorized.<\/p>\n

Seemingly contradicting that claim, dozens of New Jersey small marijuana businesses and advocacy groups recently called on the legislature to allow adults to cultivate their own cannabis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The more than 50 businesses and advocates, which formed a collective known as the New Jersey Home Grow Coalition last year, signed an open letter to Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D), pushing leadership to advance pending<\/a>\u00a0legislation<\/a>\u00a0to legalize home grow for patients.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, advocates are closely monitoring gubernatorial candidates\u2019 cannabis records ahead of the November election.<\/p>\n

One of those candidates\u2014Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D)\u2014said recently that \u201ccannabis shouldn\u2019t be treated any differently than other restrictions on indoor or outdoor gardening, so long as it\u2019s not commercial and is not in a public space where minors would have access.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop (D) separately said he\u2019d be \u201cfully supportive of allowing home cultivation of cannabis for personal recreational and medical use with some common sense guardrails in place to prevent unregulated commercial activities and to protect quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s despite Fulop\u2019s controversial effort to\u00a0maintain a policy prohibiting police from using marijuana off-duty<\/a>, regardless of the state\u2019s legalization law.<\/p>\n

While there seems to be growing support for allowing a home grow option under New Jersey\u2019s marijuana laws, including within the small cannabis industry community, there\u2019s been continued resistance from the current governor and key lawmakers.<\/p>\n

Murphy said in late 2023 that\u00a0he remains \u201cvery much open-minded\u201d about the idea of adding a home grow option<\/a> to the state\u2019s marijuana law\u2014but he still wants to give the licensed industry more time before opening up home cultivation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very much open-minded to this. I would bet\u2014if I were a betting man\u2014that down the road that that\u2019s exactly where this would land,\u201d he said. \u201cI understand, having said that, why wasn\u2019t in our initial regs, because I think there\u2019s a rightful objective to get this industry up on its feet and make sure that the folks who are in this as a matter of commerce are successful and, again, with a huge amount of focus on equity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murphy has been\u00a0repeatedly pressed on the state\u2019s lack of a home cultivation option<\/a>, and he\u2019s maintained his openness to the policy\u00a0before and after New Jersey\u2019s adult-use cannabis market launched<\/a>\u00a0in 2022.<\/p>\n

What he hasn\u2019t offered, however, is a concrete sense of what exactly he\u2019d want to see in terms of industry maturation before he\u2019d be willing to seriously engage on the issue administratively or legislatively.<\/p>\n

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin\u2019s (D) office recently tempered expectations about advancing home cultivation legislation in the short-term, for example, telling NJ.com that the speaker \u201cremains supportive of legal cannabis cultivation and sales remaining exclusively with the regulated market where the state has established strict testing and packaging requirements that ensure consumers\u2019 health is protected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in January applications officially opened to operate a licensed marijuana consumption lounge in New Jersey<\/a>. That came nearly a year after the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) finalized rules for the lounges.<\/p>\n

In December, in addition to releasing application forms for the new license type, NJ-CRC also approved a cannabis fee increase to\u00a0support the state\u2019s social equity program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also that month, regulators announced that\u00a0New Jersey marijuana sales officially exceeded $1 billion<\/a>\u00a0for 2024.<\/p>\n

Since the adult-use market launched in April 2022\u2014and the number of licensed dispensaries surpassed 190\u2014the state has seen more than $2 billion in cannabis sales.<\/p>\n

Jeff Brown, the executive director of NJ-CRC, had\u00a0predicted that the state would hit the $1 billion sales mark<\/a>\u00a0by the end of 2024 in an interview with Marijuana Moment last year.<\/p>\n

Regulators have also stressed that they will not be letting the state\u2019s medical cannabis system fall by the wayside even as they work to support the burgeoning recreational market. To that end, the commission\u00a0eliminated the cost of obtaining a medical cannabis card<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Separately, the governor has proposed increased a special tax on marijuana to generate revenue<\/a> that would go toward social service and violence intervention programs.<\/p>\n

Read Sweeney\u2019s responses<\/a> to the cannabis coalition questionnaire below:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

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Hawaii House Panel Advances Bill To Support Clinical Research On Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The post Former New Jersey Senator Running For Governor Says \u2018It Is Time\u2019 To Let Medical Marijuana Patients Grow Their Own Plants<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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A former New Jersey Senate leader who\u2019s now running for governor says \u201cit is time\u201d to give medical marijuana patients an option to grow their own cannabis plants for personal use. He\u2019s also pledging to expand clemency for people impacted by marijuana criminalization if elected, and is expressing support forContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":80622,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80623,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80621\/revisions\/80623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}