A coalition of New Jersey cannabis businesses and advocacy organizations is pushing for the legalization of home cannabis cultivation, challenging the stance of Governor Phil Murphy and other lawmakers who argue that such a move could hurt state-licensed cannabis businesses.

The New Jersey Home Grow Coalition, which includes numerous small cannabis businesses and advocacy groups, is urging legislators to allow both medical and personal-use home cultivation, according to Marijuana Moment.

In an open letter to New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D), the coalition stated that permitting medical home cultivation would not harm the state’s legal cannabis industry. The letter also emphasized their support for home cultivation for personal use, a position that contradicts the argument made by Murphy and some lawmakers who believe home grows could threaten the regulated market.
“We firmly support the prompt legalization of medical home cultivation for both patients and caregivers.”Additionally, we support the introduction of legislation that allows for the safe and equitable legalization of personal-use home cultivation.”

The coalition is also pushing for amendments to S1393/A846, the legislative proposals seeking to legalize medical homegrows. They recommend modifying the language to regulate home cultivation based on canopy size rather than plant count. The group argues that this adjustment would allow patients and caregivers to properly select and cultivate plants that meet their specific needs while preventing potential misuse of the law through excessively large cannabis plants.