Medical cannabis is at odds with adult-use cannabis industries in most states where recreational cannabis is legal. This is also the case for New Jersey, where its medical cannabis program patient numbers have decreased significantly.
According to a recent report published by the New Jersey Monitor, patients believe that the medical program isn’t being maintained. The news outlet spoke with Michael Wiehl, a local patient, about his concerns. “It’s like they’re not even faking an effort anymore, like feigning interest in saving the program. It just seems like there’s so much more they can do, and I don’t understand why they stopped caring about the medical program,” Wiehl said. “They just did.”
New Jersey’s medical cannabis program (established by the law also called the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act) went into effect in January 2010, and later adult-use cannabis sales began in April 2022. Data reported on April 15 shows that there are roughly 80,000 medical cannabis patients in New Jersey, although at its peak, the state had more than 129,000 registered patients as of May 2022.
Medical cannabis sales have also decreased in recent years as well. Once at a height of $226 million brought in in 2022, 2023 numbers show that the state only collected $124 million. Adult-use sales on the other hand have continued to rise, with 2023 numbers showing $675 million.
The New Jersey Monitor stated that medical cannabis patients have access to extended dispensary operating hours, reserved parking, medical-only sales, are exempt from some taxes, and can purchase more cannabis products.
Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey director Ken Wolski explained that medical cannabis needs to be a “very real part of health care in New Jersey” in order to keep it operating.
Leaders of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC), such as executive director Jeff Brown, have …
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Author: Nicole Potter / High Times
