NJ Governor Open to Potentially Allowing Homegrown Cannabis
New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy has said that his state should “revisit” the idea of allowing individuals to grow marijuana at home for personal use. However, he does not appear to think now is the time for that discussion. In a Q&A on WNYC radio, the governor was asked about why New Jersey hasn’t deemed it legal for people to grow the plant themselves. Murphy made it clear he is open to the idea of an option to home grow for New Jersey cannabis consumers, but he thinks that the current market needs to mature before they explore further reform. Many lawmakers in the state are critical of Murphy’s stance and think that the time to examine New Jersey’s criminalization of homegrown marijuana for personal use is now.
This Year’s U.S. Hemp Harvest is Expected to Be Half of Last Year’s
According to Colorado-based PanXchange, the United State’s hemp harvest for 2022 will be about 46 percent less than it was in 2021. According to the exchange’s report, this is largely due to the decreased demand for CBD products. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service for last year, approximately 36,925 acres of hemp were harvested. For 2022, only 20,000 acres are expected to be harvested. But this smaller harvest may be a good thing. According to the Hemp Industry Association’s Executive Director Jody McGinness, smaller harvests can help growers better manage previous issues with oversupply.
Cannabis Cultivator in Mississippi Ordered to Destroy Plants
Mockingbird Cannabis, the largest medical marijuana cultivator in Mississippi, was ordered to destroy 5,000 cannabis plants. State officials estimate that the destroyed plants are worth roughly $1 million. The company was also directed to stop all operations and make structural changes. According to local news outlet Mississippi Today, Mockingbird Cannabis was not in compliance with state regulations. The cultivator was growing cannabis at a second location and was not properly logging plants into the seed-to-sale tracking system. A spokesperson for Mockingbird Cannabis said the company plans to fully cooperate with the state health department to remedy the issues.
