The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) held a medical cannabis town hall to hear from patients and consumers. It was their second in a series of three.

Acting NJCRC Executive Director Christopher Riggs explained his role and how they wanted feedback on the medical cannabis program.

“Pricing always comes up. Unfortunately, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission does not have any oversight over pricing for cannabis products or the tax rate that is set for medical cannabis,” he said. “Each business sets the price.”

Riggs noted growing weed at home being a felony is a significant issue.

“Home grow is outside the purview of the CRC,” he noted. “… the CRC cannot authorize or regulate home cultivation of medical cannabis. We encourage you to go to your lawmakers and talk to them.”

Riggs said clinical registrants providing and studying medical cannabis are coming soon, along with a review board to add more medical marijuana qualifying conditions.

“We’re looking into establishing a reference lab and ultimately reviewing the medical rules… and seeing how we can help patients,” he noted.

Riggs noted the decline in patients from 130,000 patients in 2022 to 68,000 patients last month.

“That’s not uncommon in other states… that went to an adult-use marketplace,” he argued. “…We’re looking to bolster that number…”

Riggs acknowledged that high healthcare provider fees, the high costs of legal medical cannabis, and the lack of a nearby medical dispensary are the biggest issues.

“We have been doing what we can within the law to facilitate access for medical patients,” he argued.

Riggs also repeated the CRC’s old talking point that competition will improve prices eventually.

“The average cost per flower has decreased each year since the legalization of recreational cannabis,” he argued.

Riggs noted the progress made.

“Most products in the state are designated as adult-use cannabis products,” Robert Devine noted.

He criticized that patients had to pay the adult-use cannabis tax on products that could be useful for their health.

He argued that many medical cannabis patients need more than the 100 MG of THC limit mandated by the NJCRC for edibles.

Despite Riggs saying they can’t help, Devine brought up the need for homegrow. He also criticized a bill to re-criminalize underground legacy weed.

Mark Wiliams noted he is a medical cannabis patient with severe mental issues. He explained he uses Rick Simpson (RSO) to treat conditions.

“Right now, I can’t afford to get it,” Wiliams said.

“You got some very strong products being sold in the medical program,” Stephen Sottile said.

He wanted to see more research and patient cannabis dosing and consumption information.

Sottile admitted he got too high, and it was unpleasant.

“Having to change the password every couple months is really annoying…,” he said. “Otherwise, I’m very happy with the program.”

“I just recently dropped my medical license (patient card),” Nathan Salmos explained.

“My doctor and I created a very specific cannabinoid and terpene regimen for my condition,” he explained.

Salmos said that initially, the budtenders working in medical cannabis dispensaries were very informed about products and helpful.

“(Now) the dispensaries don’t care…,” he argued. “…All the strains giving me the terpenes I needed disappeared from the market.”

“They don’t have much value,” Salmos said about their replacements.

“The manufacturing and curing is just garbage now, to be perfectly frank,” he declared.

Salmos was in favor of a thorough state reference lab to improve overall analysis.

“The percentage of THC I have no confidence in,” he explained. “…Recreational people don’t really care except for the THC percentage.”

NS re-emphasized what he thought was the low quality of products.

“I am an original OG cardholder since the very beginning,” a woman who called herself Rennie said. “For me, the program has gotten a lot better.”

She liked the product quality in her medical-only dispensary.

“The rec facilities, the quality is not as good nor are the people that work there as knowledgeable,” Rennie explained.

She explained that there is still a social stigma to doctors prescribing medical marijuana. Also, card renewal is an expensive process via Veriheal.

“I’m a Veteran, but the VA (Veteran’s Administration) cannot prescribe it for me,” Thomas Kamont said. “…This is the only thing that works for me.”

Kamont said that nano drops worked for him but are not made anymore.

Cannabis industry experts have told Heady NJ that products that are not profitable are discontinued often.

Kamont complained about the quality of cannabis flower.

“Quality is going down. I can smell it,” he declared. “I trust the edibles…”

Kamont spouted an anti-marijuana view about public consumption.

“There is a desperate need for public education,” consultant and educator Angela Speakman declared.

She said a lot of patients don’t know a lot about cannabis due to social stigma. Speakman noted many healthcare professionals are uninformed, too.

Leading cannabis advocate Andrea Raible said she wanted a medical cannabis town hall held every other month.

She also wanted them to communicate with the legislature about homegrow, lab safety regulation, and sales tax reform.

The NJCRC has repeatedly told Heady NJ they don’t comment on pending legislation.

Raible said it’s harder to get a medical cannabis card than a driver’s license.

“Our doctors are dwindling,” she added.

“Doctor discretion should be allowed for qualifying conditions,” Raible argued.

She noted that hospitals don’t allow patients to consume their medicine.

That is likely a federal marijuana prohibition issue since hospitals could be afraid of losing federal funding.

“Please don’t hang up on people trying to report concerns,” Raible said.

“We need to see the COAs (Certificates Of Analysis) online,” she said.

“We need to see full-spectrum CBD and hemp products,” Raible added.

She wanted them to write a letter to the legislature on the issues.

“Is that even a possibility?” Raible asked.

“We will respond to you. We are not equipped to answer that at this moment,” Public Information Officer Darrah Pilleri said.

Leading cannabis advocate Chris Goldstein of NORML noted the medical-only large Multi-State Operators (MSOs) spoke about what they would do for the medical cannabis program to get approved for adult-use sales at a CRC meeting.

“All those promises have been broken,” he declared.

“…Curaleaf charges $18 an 1/8^th in Maryland and $45 in New Jersey!” Goldstein exclaimed. “Why are patients being price gouged…?