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Patients, hemp growers and equity advocates press CRC on allotments, hemp rules and CREAM Fund
Summary
Public commenters urged the commission to expand patient allotments and affordability, provide temporary regulatory relief and metric access for hemp growers, and move urgently on social-equity seed funding; speakers described access and equity concerns.
During the Oct. 17 public-comment period, patients, hemp growers, industry advocates and equity groups presented a range of concerns and requests to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Patient access and allotments: Nicholas Oplenik, a medical patient, said the state’s monthly allotment for medical patients is too restrictive and urged either unlimited allotments for patients or parity with recreational purchase limits. Several patient speakers and advocates said high prices and limited medical inventories make it hard for patients to obtain needed formulations and recommended clearer, more comprehensive medical menus and price protections.
Hemp growers and testing: multiple speakers from the hemp sector — including Thomas Norcia and Vincent Mann of the New Jersey Hemp Growers Association — urged the CRC to provide metric-system access for hemp producers and temporary permitting to allow compliant NJDA hemp licensees to continue selling full-spectrum CBD products while the intoxicating hemp law and accompanying rules are resolved. Speakers warned that lack of regulatory clarity and delays in packaging/test access could lead to product expiration and economic harm.
CREAM Fund and CIF concerns: Todd Johnson of the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association commended the CREAM Fund’s goals but warned that a sharp increase in the social-equity excise fee (CIF) — from the current $1.24/ounce toward statutory limits — could dramatically raise cultivator costs and push consumers to unregulated markets; he urged a measured, stakeholder-driven approach to any 2025 CIF change and thanked the commission for pausing a 2025 decision.
Accessibility and equity: Edward Grimes and other advocates raised concerns about physical accessibility for disabled veterans and other patients, asking the CRC to consider stronger requirements for wheelchair access at dispensaries than those provided by ADA grandfathering, and urged immediate action to support people with mobility limitations.
Commission response and next steps: commissioners thanked speakers and reiterated plans for continued stakeholder engagement, roundtables, focused surveys and public clinics (patient registration clinics) to inform the medical rules rewrite and other policy decisions. The commission did not adopt immediate rule changes during the meeting.
