Stack & Scutari Announce Public Hearing on Implementation of Recreational Cannabis Law

Trenton – The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Friday to discuss issues related to the state’s implementation of the recreational cannabis law, Senator Brian Stack and Senate President Nick Scutari announced today.

The hearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023 in Committee Room 4 of the State House Annex.

“New Jersey legalized recreational cannabis over two years ago, but the state still suffers from a lack of retail dispensaries, a lack of product variety, and high cannabis prices, which often force consumers to the black and gray markets,” said Senator Stack, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “We have also been concerned with the lack of diversity in the cannabis marketplace, especially in the retail space.”

The committee will take testimony from cannabis industry representatives, experts, and social justice groups, and the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the state’s cannabis marketplace.

“Lawmakers have heard news stories and received numerous complaints from the industry about the commission’s approval process for cannabis licenses, from a general lack of communication with applicants, to delayed approvals, to seemingly erratic decision-making,” said Senator Scutari. “This has created a high-risk, unpredictable regulatory environment for current and prospective cannabis businesses. We look forward to hearing from the commission on how these and other issues can be addressed.”

In November 2021, New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment – by a two-to-one margin – legalizing the sale of recreational cannabis. The Legislature subsequently enacted the “New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act” in February 2021 to establish a regulated marketplace for adult-use cannabis. The first dispensaries were approved to begin selling recreational cannabis in April 2022.

“One of the primary goals of the cannabis legalization laws was to ensure equity for communities that, for too long, have been punished by past marijuana enforcement policies and the War on Drugs,” said Senator Stack. “The committee will also explore the state’s progress toward ensuring women, minority, and disabled veteran-owned businesses, as well as those with past marijuana convictions, have access to this new market.”