New Jersey Cannabis Business Coalition Calls on Lawmakers to Legalize Home Grows

The New Jersey Home Grow Coalition, which includes dozens of small cannabis businesses and advocacy groups, is calling on lawmakers in the state to legalize cannabis home grows, Marijuana Moment reports.

The companies wrote in an open letter to New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D) that “[legalizing] medical home cultivation will not negatively impact the legal state cannabis industry,” and that the group also supports “personal use” home grow provisions. The coalition’s position contradicts an argument by Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and some lawmakers that allowing home grows would undermine state-licensed cannabis licensees, and that it would serve the industry better to delay personal cultivation rules.

“We firmly support the immediate legalization of medical home cultivation for patients and caregivers. We also endorse additional legislation to be introduced that allows for the legalization of personal use home cultivation safely and equitably.” — Excerpt from the letter

The group also called for amendments to the companion legislation S1393/A846, which seek to legalize medical cannabis home grows, to change the wording so that it limits home grows by canopy size, not plant count. The coalition argues the change would “allow patients and caretakers to have the ability to properly pheno-hunt and cultivate an amount that meets individual needs,” and would “mitigate the potential for exploiting the law through the cultivation of massive cannabis plants.”