ASAP Applauds Formation of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission

The Alliance for Statewide Access for Patients (ASAP)—comprised of medical marijuana patients, advocates, and stakeholders—applauds the state for moving forward with the long-awaited, first meeting of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) on Monday. ASAP is hopeful the meeting is the not only the first step in creating an equitable and safe adult-use marketplace in New Jersey, but also a commitment from the state to finally make patient access a greater priority. Patients have been waiting for far too long for ready, affordable access to the treatment they need for their qualifying conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and epilepsy.

Despite medical marijuana being legal in New Jersey for over a decade, the market is underdeveloped with just 15 dispensaries to meet the needs of the state’s 110,000 registered medical cannabis patients. The lack of competition is the reason patients are plagued with supply shortages and the highest cost in the nation for medical cannabis. Even the New Jersey Department of Health has recognized the inadequacy of New Jersey’s medicinal market, concluding in its Biennial Report that at least 90 dispensaries were needed by 2021 to serve the state’s medical population alone. With the market nowhere near that, stagnated and mired in lawsuits, ASAP is hoping the CRC is the end of the state’s legal delays and the start of issuing much-needed medical marijuana permits to provide patients relief.

“For far too long, the Murphy Administration has been tying up New Jersey’s medicinal market in needless court proceedings that is keeping the program small. Meanwhile, patients are suffering and far too many can’t get the treatment they need,” said Nancy Fitterer, President & CEO of Home Care & Hospice Association of Jersey. “It is time the Administration heed their own report projections and focus resources on patients by expeditiously awarding many more medical permits. Timing is especially critical with the CRC now up-and-running and adult-use sales expected to begin by end of year,” Fitterer concluded.

In states like Illinois and Massachusetts that launched adult-use sales in similar underdeveloped medical marijuana markets like New Jersey’s, patients faced even greater hurdles accessing medical cannabis because of the new, greater demand. ASAP is pleased that the CRC recognized the shortcomings of the state’s medicinal market at its opening meeting, but it is critical the state address it now by expeditiously awarding more medical marijuana permits and opening the market to competition.

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About Alliance for Statewide Access for Patients (ASAP)

Comprised of medical marijuana patients, advocates and stakeholders, ASAP is calling for Governor Murphy to make medical marijuana patients a greater priority by issuing more medical marijuana permits NOW! Visit www.ASAP-NJ.com to learn more & take action!