NJCBA PRESIDENT DEVEAUX ON LEGALIZATION INACTION: ‘ENOUGH ALREADY’

Trenton — New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA) President Edmund DeVeaux issued the following statement today regarding the now 107-day delay between voters approving adult-use cannabis legalization in New Jersey and legalization actually happening:

“Enough already. Only in New Jersey could the will of the voters be so callously ignored for what is now well over three months. The leadership in Trenton must follow the will of the voters – 67% of the voters in fact – or they will face backlash from their inactions.

“We are now in year four of Governor Murphy’s Administration. In that time, New Jersey has approved only six new cannabis licenses to serve patients. By comparison, Oklahoma has issued over 2,000 licenses helping to generate $800 million in new revenue for the state. Nationally, the cannabis industry created nearly half a million jobs in the last year. Meanwhile, patients in New Jersey still have limited access to the medicine they need and people are still being arrested. In fact, 6,000 people have been arrested for cannabis possession since New Jersey voters said they are ok with people possessing cannabis. This is not a game to those 6,000 people. This is their lives. And this whole thing is insanity.

“Figure it out. Right now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next month. Right now!”

About The New Jersey CannaBusiness Association

The NJCBA’s mission is to promote jobs and growth in a sustainable and responsible cannabis industry. Starting with the pioneers in the medical cannabis market to the emerging players in the adult-use space, the NJCBA’s focus is to make certain that decision makers and regulators understand and respect the needs of the CannaBusiness community and that our community remain responsible corporate citizens.