Letting N.J. residents grow weed at home gets new push from lawmaker

EDITOR’S NOTE: On April 13, NJ Cannabis Insider hosts a virtual networking event, featuring professionals in the legal cannabis industries. Tickets are limited.

Another lawmaker is taking a shot at letting people grow their own marijuana now that New Jersey has legalized the drug.

Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, introduced a bill (S3582) Monday that would allow anyone 21 and older to grow up to six marijuana plants at home, with a maximum of 12 plants per household. Medical patients could grow up to 10 plants.

Currently, growing five plants or less can result in three to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Gopal’s bill is the latest to touch on home grow for recreational use. Another was introduced in February by the late Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Bergen. He died before the bill made its way through Legislative committees.

Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, also introduced a bill last month to allow the state’s medical marijuana patients to grow up to four plants. That could help patients circumvent high prices and supply limitations that have long hampered patient access.

Many states with medical cannabis programs allows patients to grow their own medicine at home, but New Jersey lawmakers have shied away from the idea, saying it may come down the line, but for now will is likely to remain banned.

It’s not clear how popular either home grow bill will be in the coming months.

Although New Jersey has legalized cannabis, dispensaries are not expected to begin selling to the public for months. Police can no longer arrest people for possessing marijuana, but there is no legal way for them to buy it.

After signing three bills into law last month that will launch the legal cannabis industry and decriminalize marijuana possession, Gov. Phil Murphy declined to address home grow.

On Monday, when asked during a press conference where he stood on decriminalizing other drugs, Murphy emphasized the work done on legal weed so far.

“Am I open-minded to decriminalizations, further decriminalization? I suppose so, but I think we’ve taken the biggest step, and that is marijuana, and that’s done for social justice,” Murphy said.

“I think we’ve taken a big step and I want to get that step embedded,” he said. “That’s my personal opinion, and get this right before we consider taking further steps.”

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Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.

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