By Sophie “Chronic” Chronicler, New Jersey Weed Watch
Ah, New Jersey, the Garden State…unless you’re talking about marijuana. In a twist that’s as ironic as a vegan at a steakhouse, you can waltz into a dispensary and buy weed, but God forbid you plant a seed in your backyard. That’s right, folks, growing your own pot plant is still a third-degree felony. Talk about a buzzkill.
Despite our neighbors cultivating cannabis like it’s a new type of tomato, New Jersey has been twiddling its thumbs every session since weed was legalized. The idea of homegrown pot is as stagnant as a forgotten bong water, according to state senator and chief sponsor of a bill that would allow medical marijuana patients to grow their own green.
“We launched this bill to help fix the war on drugs fiasco and to give justice a fighting chance, but it seems like we’re just spinning our wheels in the mud,” said Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), probably while staring longingly at a bag of Miracle-Gro.
In the Garden State, the only people allowed to grow marijuana are those with cultivator licenses. Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) has expressed concern over a home grow program, suggesting it might stunt the growth of the legal industry and allow the black market to bloom like a rampant weed. Scutari, the guy who pushed hard to legalize marijuana, seems to have a case of the “not in my backyard” syndrome.
Marijuana advocates argue that lawmakers are as misinformed about home grow’s financial impact on the cannabis industry as a stoner who’s forgotten where they left their keys. They stress the importance of a home cultivation program, especially for medical marijuana users who might find it difficult to get to a dispensary or can’t afford the high prices.
Plus, they argue, the cannabis industry in New Jersey is thriving like a pot plant in a grow house.
Since sales kicked off on April 21, 2022, over 100 dispensaries have opened their doors. Recreational sales in 2023 nearly doubled from the previous year, hitting a high of $675 million. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission even predicted sales could exceed $1 billion this year alone.
Chris Goldstein, an organizer with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, questioned Scutari’s protective stance. “It’s like he’s the overbearing parent of the cannabis industry, and home cultivation is the rebellious teenager he’s trying to control,” said Goldstein. He added that Scutari’s delay in allowing home cultivation “has been as welcome as a skunk at a garden party.”
Gopal pointed out that without a home grow program, people can still be arrested for growing a plant that’s otherwise legal. It’s like being able to buy tomatoes at the store but getting arrested for growing them in your garden.
The governor’s office could help bring attention to the issue, Gopal said, probably while daydreaming about a world where everyone can grow their own stash.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who campaigned in 2017 on legalizing marijuana, noted that Murphy said he’s “very much open-minded” to home grow. “I’d love to see him play a more active role in this. We’re two years in and constituents have had trouble getting affordable, accessible, legal cannabis,” Gopal said, likely while staring at a seed catalog and sighing heavily.
So, New Jersey, will we soon be the Garden State in more ways than one? Only time will tell.
This story was first published by New Jersey Weed Watch, where the grass is always greener…unless you want to grow it yourself.