NJ Adult Use – Cannabis Industry

According to lawmakers, a deal has been reached to compromise on legislation to enable adult use cannabis in NJ.

The compromise bill allows for 37 licenses for marijuana growers during the first 2 years of legal sales. The license limit does not apply to micro-licenses, which can be granted to businesses with 10 or fewer employees.

Minority Communities – 70% of the sales tax revenue as well as all of the funds raised by a tax on cultivators will be used to support restorative programs for legal aid, health care, mentoring in minority communities.

NJ voters approved a ballot question seeking to amend the state constitution and legalize marijuana on Nov. 3.

Per NJ Biz, legislators reached another deal on that issue earlier last week to pass a bill that will allow people to possess up to 6 oz. of marijuana.

Lawmakers are also expected to move forward with the bill to decriminalize marijuana later in December.

Senators also introduced a new constitutional amendment that could go before voters in 2021. It seeks to solidify the tax structure outlined in Senate Bill 21, ensuring that the money only go to social and racial justice causes, and not the state’s general fund.

Given the current legislative calendar, it is likely that the legalization bill will go before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 14 and for a full vote on Dec. 17, 2020.

Duane Morris attorneys in offices throughout the U.S. have extensive experience with the wide array of issues attendant to legal cannabis business activities, including licensing for cultivation, processing and dispensing; litigation; banking and finance; raising and deploying capital; protecting intellectual property; real estate development; public company representation and SEC filings; land use and zoning; healthcare and research; and taxation.

For more information on this blog post, do not hesitate to contact Brad A. Molotsky or Paul Josephson or any of the other Duane Morris attorneys you regularly engage with.

Is March the 4:20 for NJ recreational, adult use marijuana? Brad A. Molotsky

According to Senate President Stephen Sweeney, with budget hearings and discussions beginning to ramp up in Trenton, March 2019 is likely the last best time to act on a New Jersey marijuana-legalization bill.
In order for the Bill to move forward, Senator Sweeney confirmed his view that a vote needs to be held this month (i.e., March) in order to hold an election on a measure legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana for adult-use.

Why March – According to the Senator, April would be a difficult month because of budget hearings and religious holidays. Then May is the actual budget discussion and focus on passage of the budget.

That in and of itself is problematic, according to Dan Munoz at NJBiz, given that lawmakers might view negotiations on the budget and marijuana-legalization through a tit-for-tat, transactional lens.

As for whether we could see a vote this summer or during a lame duck session of the Legislature, Senator Sweeney said he “doesn’t want to wait that long.” And whether lawmakers might put the questions before voters as a ballot referendum has essentially been a non-starter according to Munoz.

A tentative agreement between the Governor and the legislative leaders calls for a $42 an ounce tax on marijuana and for a 5-member Cannabis Regulatory Commission to oversee the new industry. Per the momentary agreement, Governor Murphy would be able to select 3 of the 5 Commission members.

Per Munoz, Governor Murphy was initially pushing for legalization within his first 100 days of office. The proposed 2020 budget, unveiled Tuesday by Governor Murphy, includes $60 million of tax revenue under the assumption that marijuana is made legal by January 2020.

The 2020 budget also anticipates spending $21 Million to create the necessary regulatory apparatus for legalized cannabis and thereafter has a placeholder for a $12 Million a year spend for cannabis operations and enforcement.

Could be an interesting March in Trenton – stay tuned!

Tag: NJ Adult Use

Is March the 4:20 for Adult Use Marijuana in NJ?