New Jersey Bill Would Let Patients Grow Their Own Medical Cannabis

A bill introduced in New Jersey would legalize home cannabis cultivation for the state’s medical cannabis patients, NJ Spotlight News reports. New Jersey has legalized both adult and medical cannabis use but home cultivation is not permitted under either law. 

State Sen. Troy Singleton (D), the bill’s sponsor, told Spotlight News that lawmakers “tried to give the [state] an opportunity through its regulatory powers to put some pricing controls in place” but that he believes “it’s time for the legislature … to interject some price controls in this space.” 

Just this week Gov. Phil Murphy (D) told News 12 that he is “very much open-minded” to allowing adults to grow their own cannabis.   

“I would bet – if I were a betting man – that down the road that that’s exactly where this would land. I understand, having said that, why wasn’t in our initial regs, because I think there’s 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.” — Murphy to News 12 via Spotlight News 

Under current New Jersey law, home cultivation of cannabis is a felony that could lead to a five-year prison sentence, despite cannabis being legal in the state for adult use for nearly three years.

Under the proposed law, patients could grow up to four mature and four immature plants at a time.