One year ago today, Gov. Phil Murphy briefly switched gears during his regular COVID-19 briefing.
It had been a few hours since the Legislature had finally — after months of political theater — passed the final bill that, as part of a package, would legalize marijuana.
“New Jersey’s broken, indefensible marijuana laws … are no more,” Murphy said, as the livestream switched over to an image of a masked Murphy displaying the signed bills.
It’s been exactly one year since New Jersey became the 13th state to legalize marijuana for adult use — four more states have legalized weed since then — but, except for a few changes on paper, nothing much has changed in the Garden State.
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The cannabis landscape in New Jersey is currently drawn along battle lines, with medical marijuana dispensary operators claiming the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission is needlessly dragging its feet in approving applications for conversion, which would allow them to begin selling marijuana to non-medical customers.
“They’re so concerned with getting it perfect and it’s unfortunate because I think you’re losing a lot of opportunities,” Curaleaf northeast regional president Patrik Jonsson told the USA TODAY Network New Jersey in January.
CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown has refuted that notion, claiming that many of the conversion applications already submitted don’t even have approval from the host municipality.
“None of the (applications) we received were complete,” he said at the CRC’s Jan. 27 meeting. “What we’re asking for should not be new information. For the most part, we see major deficiencies in these certifications.”
So here we are, one year after weed was legalized in New Jersey, and everything’s still basically status quo. In case you need a refresher, here’s what you can and can’t do while legal weed remains in such a gray area.
You can smoke weed
Under the New Jersey marijuana legalization laws, you can legally possess up to six ounces of pot. You’re allowed to consume it on private property, assuming the property owner gives permission. So while you can smoke weed in your own home, you may need the permission of your landlord if you’re a renter.
Many landlords prohibit smoking both tobacco and marijuana, but have made exceptions for other methods that aren’t as pervasive — such as edibles and vaping.
“I don’t anticipate this causing issues as long as people are reasonable,” National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws board vice chairman Evan Nison told the Network last year. He’s also a landlord, with a few rental properties in the state.
“Like anything else, whether you’re creating a scent or a loud noise or taking up space in common areas, be courteous and you’ll be good,” Nison said.
You can’t smoke weed in public
Walk even one block in New York City and you’ll notice the unmistakable odor of burnt marijuana. And while the smell of weed has never been too far from mind, marijuana users were buoyed by New York’s marijuana legalization laws, which specifically permit marijuana use wherever cigarettes are allowed.
Such language is pretty rare. Most other legal weed states, including New Jersey, treat legal weed like a combination of alcohol and cigarettes.
You cannot smoke weed…
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