NJ Cannabis patients demand action as Recreational market thrives
New Jersey’s cannabis market is charging customers less and bringing in more revenue, but frustrated medical patients feel like they’re being left behind.
Cannabis is predicted to be a billion dollar industry this year, and initial sales have been brisk, according to Cannabis Regulatory Commission executive director Jeff Brown. Sales increased by 35% in January and 42% in February compared to last year.
At the same time, adult use prices have dropped by nearly $2 per gram to $12.22 and medical prices have dropped by nearly $1 to 10.48 per gram.
But at a string of protests at the Statehouse and emotional testimony at the most recent Cannabis Regulatory Commission meeting, medical patients said they are frustrated that state law prohibits them from growing their own. Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, has thus far declined to push for ending the ban.
In addition, medical patients say they are not getting enough access to the market amid complaints about poor quality such as moldy weed — conditions that have prompted the commission to fine large cannabis companies. They want the commission to do more in when it comes to testing protocols for the product.
“You regulate our quality of life and our chances of survival, I just ask that you prioritize accordingly,” medical patient Andrea Raible told the commission at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
CRC commissioner Charles Barker tried to push through a last minute motion that would put in place stricter testing standards. It fell short after Brown said his staff was close to making formal recommendations for stricter testing that could include reducing the batch size of cannabis tested to potentially catch more contaminants.
“Our regulatory officer, our legal team, have been talking to laboratories, getting their feedback on draft proposals for our own guidance,” Brown said. “I would anticipate that said guidance includes a reduction in batch size. We’re very close to being able to issue that.”
Brown stopped short of saying recommendations would be available to the public next month, but indicated the commission would have additional information.
The commission used to have stricter standards on how frequently batches of cannabis needed to be tested when the market was purely medical.
In 2022, standards were loosened to allow more product to get to dispensaries and meet consumer demand for the adult-use market.
Some companies contend that going back to stricter standards would increase how much they would have to pay for testing and therefore increase weed prices, which could also affect patients. Those supporting stricter standards note that they are applied in other states that have lower weed prices than New Jersey.
The commission has taken some measures to increase access such as digitizing medical identification cards and plans to hold medical registration fairs around the state.
Meanwhile, the medical patient enrollment in New Jersey has been declining, which is a normal trend when cannabis markets open up to adult use.
Unlike New Jersey, most states that have legalized adult use weed sales allow home grow, especially for medical patients seeking an alternative to corporate cannabis.
The CRC’s chair, Dianna Houenou, along with other commissioners, said they wanted to hear more from Brown before making a decision on policy change. Barker disagreed.
“The same stakeholders that we just mentioned have come before us and told us repeatedly that it’s not working,” Barker said. “To say that this is rushed. To say that this is inappropriate, I find that very hard to reconcile with the stories that we hear month after month. People are crying to us.”
