The Drug Abuse Resistance Education, aka D.A.R.E., has been teaching kids about substance abuse since 1983 with a mission of delivering science and evidence-based curricula. Recently, a D.A.R.E. documentary published by Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan on April 12 spoke with numerous individuals regarding the D.A.R.E. program and discussed the failure of the War on Drugs. Callaghan attended D.A.R.E.’s annual conference, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada last July. An estimated 500 attendees were present for D.A.R.E. officer training.

Part of the conference included presenting awards for 2023 D.A.R.E. Student of the Year and 2023 D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year Mark Gilmore, from Kosciusko, Mississippi. Gilmore commented on his ability as a D.A.R.E. officer to apprehend any students who possess any amount of drugs, which includes even the smallest amount of weed.

D.A.R.E.’s 2022 Officer of the Year, Alex Mendoza of the Irvine Police Department spoke with Callaghan about shifting D.A.R.E.’s approach to drug prevention deterring kids from using drugs. “For me, it’s really about educating the youth that are out there,” Mendoza said. “To give them the tools necessary to navigate whatever pain that they’re going through. I think that if you don’t have that self-love for yourself and that resiliency, then you’re gonna go to that external source, whatever that might be.”

Callaghan asked, “Do you feel the same way about alcohol?” to which Mendoza replied, “Absolutely. I mean, alcohol is a gateway drug.” Callaghan then asked Mendoza if he drinks alcohol, and Mendoza confirmed that he does so rarely, or “maybe once or twice within a month period of time.” He gave an example, stating that he recently had an alcoholic drink at his daughter’s wedding during a toast.

Callaghan addressed this issue in the documentary, citing the validity of calling alcohol a gateway drug. He asked Mendoza if he felt cannabis could be treated in the same way as alcohol. “You know, there’s so many things about marijuana that go far beyond, I guess, really our understanding, right?” said Mendoza. “From a lot of the statistics that are out there, obviously, they say that it can be more dangerous than tobacco products.”

However, he did note that there are many instances where cannabis is being used to help patients to deal with the symptoms of their condition. “I think the problem that you run into is that you have the people that truly legitimately have a need and a purpose behind it and will use it to help them navigate their pain,” said Mendoza. “My brother-in-law recently passed away of cancer, and he didn’t want to go with any type of prescription medication. He wanted something natural and he resulted to using THC to deal with his pain. And it helped him. He passed away, but it helped him navigate that, right? And then you have, unfortunately, people that will use that as an excuse to try to use that product for recreational purposes.”

D.A.R.E. President and CEO Francisco Pegueros, who formerly worked for the Los Angeles Police department, concluded the conference with a speech. In a one-on-one interview, Callaghan mentioned that people being critical of the War on Drugs, Pegueros said “Well, there was some evidence that certain governmental agencies were involved in a lot of activity that were kind of contrary to the whole concept of the war on drugs,” Pegueros said. Callaghan called the “CIA giving crack to Freeway Ricky Ross,” or how the federal government was supplying Ross with cocaine for illegal sales. “It’s an unfortunate part of our history. But evidently, it’s reality,” Pegueros said.

The documentary also interviewed one individual named Hailey, who was the only protester outside of last year’s D.A.R.E. conference last year. “We don’t try to outlaw sex. We don’t try to outlaw driving. We don’t try to outlaw guns,” Hailey stated. “We don’t try to outlaw all these things that come with risk but can be easily have these safety measures put in place, much like we do with pharmaceuticals.”

Callaghan briefly spoke with Bill Russel, also known as RETRO BILL, who has spoken to kids across the country for more than 25 years in partnership with D.A.R.E. to warn kids about how drugs, including cannabis, are harmful and dangerous.

The documentary stated that the D.A.R.E. program cost American taxpayers up to $750 million per year in the 1990s, up until a 1998 University of Michigan study showed that drug use continued to rise between 1992-1995, despite the nationwide prevalence of D.A.R.E.

It also reviewed the rise of the War on Drugs through actions from former presidents Richard Nixon and later, Ronald Reagan. Former President Bill Clinton signed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994, and D.A.R.E. lost its federal funding in 1998.

Regulated marijuana sales in the United States are expected to exceed $31 billion this year, according to a recent economic forecast from a firm specializing in cannabis and hemp business consulting, data, and economic research. 

The projection from Portland, Oregon-based Whitney Economics estimates that legal sales of medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis will total $31.4 in 2024. The forecasted amount is an increase of $2.6 billion from 2023, representing a growth rate of 9.14% year over year.

The projection notes that legal sales of cannabis have been suppressed since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing changes in consumer purchasing power, higher interest rates and delayed implementation of regulations in new markets as challenges facing the industry. Despite these factors, overall cannabis growth has remained positive. Legal cannabis sales declined in 10 states, however, an indication that new markets are needed for the industry to continue to grow.

Beau Whitney, chief economist at Whitney Economics, said that the new projection builds on a similar market analysis completed by the company last year.

“We are quite proud of our predictive analytics that resulted in last year’s forecast versus actuals being 98.3% accurate,” Whitney said in a statement about the new projection. “Although there are uncertainties in the near-term outlook, demand for legal cannabis in the U.S. will remain strong throughout the decade, with growth coming from newer markets.”

Regulatory Changes Needed For Continued Growth

The forecast projecting continued growth of regulated cannabis sales was welcomed by executives in the cannabis industry. Some noted, however, that the industry’s continued growth will depend on regulatory changes that permit cannabis businesses to operate like those in any other sector, including engaging in interstate commerce and access to banking services.

David Craig, chief marketing officer of Missouri licensed cannabis producer Illicit Gardens, said “It should be clear by now that cannabis isn’t going anywhere.”

“If the federal government is going to drag its feet on descheduling, then it’s up for the states to take the lead in removing regulatory hurdles to operators, especially multi-state ones,” Craig wrote in an email. “What most outside the industry don’t realize is the extreme burden operating without uniform standards across legal states.”

“It’s time for a coalition of states to come together and standardize the basics: packaging and labeling requirements, compliance fundamentals, marketing, and other restrictions,” he added. “Operating even in two contiguous states right now is practically the same as operating in two different countries. Resolving those disparities is an easy win for business and government alike.”

Sarah Carter, communications director at Symple Seeds, said that it is “fantastic to see the continued growth of the legal cannabis industry.” 

“This significant increase of $2.6 billion from the previous year underscores the momentum and potential within the market.” Carter wrote in an email to High Times. “However, amidst this success, it’s crucial to acknowledge the persistent challenge of limited access to banking for cannabis businesses. This obstacle not only hinders the industry’s ability to operate efficiently but also poses risks in terms of safety and transparency.”

Legislation that would allow businesses in the regulated cannabis industry to access traditional banking services has been passed in the U.S. House of Representatives more than half a dozen times in recent years. An updated version of the bill, known as the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Act is pending before the U.S. Senate. In a statement last fall, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that he intends “to bring the SAFER Banking Act to the Senate floor with all due speed.”

“Addressing this banking issue is paramount for unlocking the full potential of the cannabis sector,” said Carter. “With proper access to banking services, businesses can streamline operations, improve financial transparency, and foster greater investor confidence. Moreover, it would facilitate responsible business practices and compliance with regulatory requirements.”

Lawmakers in Washington State “recently passed a bill granting an exemption from the 37% excise tax for medical marijuana patients and designated providers,” according to Forbes.

The passage of the measure eliminates  what has been characterized as “one of the highest tax rates imposed on medical marijuana products.” 

The bill, HB 1453, was originally introduced last year. 

Per an official legislative summary of the proposal, the bill aimed to provide “a tax exemption from the 37 percent cannabis excise tax for qualifying patients and designated providers with a recognition card on purchases of cannabis products that are labeled as Department of Health (DOH) compliant product and tested in accordance with the DOH’s rules.”

“There is levied and collected a cannabis excise tax equal to 37 percent of the selling price on each retail sale in Washington of cannabis concentrates, useable cannabis, and cannabis-infused products. This tax is separate and in addition to general state and local sales and use taxes that apply to retail sales of tangible personal property, and is not part of the total retail price to which general state and local sales and use taxes apply,” the summary said. “The tax must be reflected in the price list or quoted shelf price in the licensed cannabis retail store and in any advertising that includes prices for all cannabis products. All revenues collected from the cannabis excise tax must be deposited each day in the Dedicated Cannabis Account.”

The summary continued: “A tax exemption is provided to qualifying patients and designated providers who hold a recognition card, from the 37 percent cannabis excise tax, on their purchases of cannabis products that are labeled as a Department of Health (DOH) compliant product and tested in accordance with the DOH’s rules. Each seller making exempt sales must maintain information establishing eligibility for the exemption in the form and manner required by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). The LCB must provide a separate tax reporting line on the excise tax form for exemption amounts claimed.”

The Seattle law firm Harris Sliwoski provided more background on the measure and its journey through the Washington legislature, noting that the 37 percent tax imposed an unnecessary burden on patients.

“On March 6, 2024, the Washington Senate passed HB 1453 which will provide an exemption from the 37% excise tax for medical cannabis patients and designated providers. The bill now waits for signatures and executive action to become law. First introduced in 2023, HB 1453 sought to harmonize the existing medical exemptions from general sales and use taxes with the 37% excise tax on cannabis sales,” the law firm explained. “Medical cannabis patients and providers face a significant financial burden when patients and providers are unfairly taxed the same as recreational consumers. Primarily, medical cannabis is not recreational or a luxury, but a necessity for many people who suffer from chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, and other conditions. Medical cannabis is often the only effective treatment that allows them to function and improve their quality of life. Medical cannabis patients and providers must already jump through additional regulatory hoops to stay compliant with the LCB and the DOH and the imposition of additional taxes only exacerbates this hardship. Medical cannabis patients and providers follow strict rules and guidelines to access the medicine not required by recreational cannabis users and providers, and it is unjust to further penalize those medical patients and providers.”

As the firm pointed out, the 37% tax was all the more onerous given that medical cannabis is both “already expensive and not covered by insurance or public health programs.”

“Adding a tax aimed at recreational sales on top of that makes it even more unaffordable for many patients who are already struggling financially. This can force them to reduce their dosage, switch to cheaper but less effective products, or even turn to the recreational market which does not have the same DOH requirements and compliance standards,” the firm said. “Taxing medical cannabis patients the same as recreational consumers is a form of discrimination that harms their health and well-being. It also goes against the principle of harm reduction, which is one basis of medical cannabis legalization policy.”

The bill will now head to the desk of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee. If he adds his signature, the bill “will take effect ninety (90) days after the adjournment of the current legislative session and will provide medical cannabis patients and providers a much-needed tax exemption for their medicine,” Harris Sliwoski said.

“Washington lawmakers have finally acknowledged that medical cannabis should be treated as a medicine, not a commodity, and exempted from the 37% excise tax along with the current exemption from general and local sales and use taxes,” the firm added. 

A cannabis company with operations based in Jamaica announced this week that it has successfully exported cannabis-derived THC products to the United States, where they will be tested at a facility licensed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The company, Pure Jamaican and its GMP-certified, licensed pharma manufacturer Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals, said the shipment marks the first legal export of THC to the United States from Jamaica in a move that elevates the Caribbean island nation’s role in the global cannabis supply chain.

Jamaica legalized the commercial export of cannabis for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes in 2015, although government regulations for exporting medical marijuana products were not approved until 2021. Pure Jamaican plans to take advantage of the opportunity by legally exporting proprietary pharmaceutical products with cannabis-derived THC, hemp-derived CBD and other cannabinoids to the United States, Brazil and other major markets around the world.

Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness granted permission for Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals to export cannabis-derived THC products to the United States, while the DEA issued corresponding import permits. The company then shipped the products to a DEA-licensed facility where analytic testing was successfully completed. Scott Cathcart, CEO of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals, said the milestone “is a proud moment for Jamaica and for our group of companies.” 

“Jamaica has long been associated with ‘ganja’ but never before in this context as a producer and legal exporter of THC as a pharmaceutical-grade medicine,” Cathcart said in a statement from the company. “As the only company in Jamaica licensed for pharmaceutical manufacturing of cannabinoids, we are proud to be leading the way to elevating the role of Jamaica in the global cannabis ecosystem.”

Shipment Comes As DEA Ponders Rescheduling

The first legal export of cannabis from Jamaica to the U.S. comes as the DEA is considering a proposal to relax restrictions on marijuana under federal law. Last summer, Rachel Levine, the Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), wrote a letter to DEA head Anne Milgram recommending that cannabis be removed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. 

The recommendation was issued following an executive order from President Joseph Biden in October 2022 that directed the heads of the Department of Justice and HHS to review the classification of marijuana under federal law. Under the HHS recommendation, which was issued after a review of the available medical and scientific evidence, cannabis would be rescheduled under Schedule III of the CSA, a less restrictive classification than Schedule I that would ease cannabis research and likely lead to the approval of cannabis pharmaceuticals.

If the DEA approves the rescheduling, Seven-10 intends to request DEA permits to ship Pure Jamaican pharmaceutical THC products from Jamaica to patients in the US. Such shipments would be made to patients with a valid prescription and would comply with all relevant regulations from the DEA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as state pharmacy distribution regulations.

Shullette Cox, the president of Jamaica Promotions Corp. (JAMPRO), a trade and investment promotions corporation representing the Government of Jamaica, said that “the growth of the cannabis industry for medicinal purposes has been a priority of the government of Jamaica and particularly, the export of value-added products from Jamaica. The success of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals is applauded as JAMPRO continues to facilitate the local medicinal cannabis industry and ensuring its role in driving the growth of exports.”

Seven-10 has already begun shipping medicinal cannabis formulations to patients in Brazil, where regulations allowing pharmacy sales of such products went into effect in 2019. Prime Jamaica noted that together, the U.S. and Brazil comprise a market totaling more than 500 million people.

“This is a labor of love and not easy,” said Dr. Ellen Campbell Grizzle, chief regulatory and compliance officer of Pure Jamaican and Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals. “Jamaica has 52 percent of the world’s medicinal plants in our small island nation, and we are very proud to be exploring ways to identify new botanical medicines to bring health, wellness, new exports and economic growth to our country.”

A Republican-led proposal to legalize medical cannabis in the state officially died on Thursday, and although the GOP speaker of the assembly indicated that “there will still be a public hearing to build support for passage next session,” per the Associated Press, that “won’t occur until after the Assembly has adjourned for this year.”

Wisconsin is one of the few remaining states in the U.S. where neither medical nor recreational marijuana are legal. It is one of only 12 states with no medicinal law, and one of 26 that has not legalized recreational pot, according to The Center Square, an outlet that covers state-level politics.

The medical marijuana bill was “highly restrictive,” the Associated Press said, adding that the measure “drew opposition for being too conservative in severely limiting who could have access to medical marijuana and how it would be distributed, while others faulted it for not going far enough.”

The bill, pushed by GOP lawmakers who control both chambers of the state legislature, “would limit medical marijuana to severely ill people and allow for it to be dispensed at just five state-run locations,” while also banning smokable cannabis.

“The proposal would limit the availability of marijuana to people diagnosed with certain diseases, including cancer, HIV or AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, severe muscle spasms, chronic pain or nausea, and those with a terminal illness and less than a year to live,” the Associated Press reported.

This year’s legislative session in Wisconsin ends next week.

Democrats in the Badger State, including Gov. Tony Evers, have advocated for outright marijuana legalization. 

Evers said last month that he would support the Republican-backed medical marijuana proposal, suggesting that it could be a meaningful first step toward broader cannabis reform in Wisconsin.

“I would think that getting it all done in one fell swoop would be more thoughtful as far as meeting the needs of Wisconsinites that have asked for it,” Evers said at the time. “But if that’s what we can accomplish right now, I’ll be supportive of that.”

“Do I think we need to consider recreational marijuana? Of course,” Evers added. “I’ve been for it, so are a majority of the people [of] Wisconsin, but if this is a step in the right direction, let’s make it happen.”

Indeed, Evers, currently serving his second term as governor, has long been an outspoken champion of ending prohibition on pot.

Evers and other Wisconsin Democrats have contended that the state is losing valuable tax revenue to neighboring states in the Great Lakes region that have legalized adult-use marijuana. 

An economic analysis released last year found that Illinois, which began recreational pot sales in 2020, rakes in tens of millions of dollars a year from Wisconsinites who travel across the border for legal weed. 

“It should upset every Wisconsinite that our hard earned tax dollars are going across the border to Illinois. This is revenue that could be going toward Wisconsin’s public schools, transportation infrastructure, and public safety. Instead, Illinois is reaping the benefits of Republican obstructionism and their prohibitionist stance on marijuana legalization,” Melissa Agard, at the time the Democratic leader in the Wisconsin state senate, said in a statement following the release of the analysis.

“We are an island of prohibition and the people of our state are hurting because of it. As seen in our neighboring states, legalizing marijuana for responsible adult usage will generate significant revenue for our mainstreets, safely regulate the existing illicit market, reinvest in our agriculture and farming heritage, support entrepreneurship, and address the massive and egregious racial disparities from marijuana prohibition.”

Agard noted that “Wisconsinites paid more than $31 million – just in taxes – to Illinois in 2022,” and that the state’s “loss of potential revenue is even larger if we include taxes paid to Michigan, as well as Minnesota in the near future.”

“Republicans’ continued refusal to legalize marijuana is fiscally irresponsible…Wisconsin is losing out on significant tax dollars that could be used to make our communities stronger, safer, and healthier,” she said.

“The fundamental aspect of our job as legislators is to listen to the people we represent. The people of Wisconsin have been asking the legislature to take up common sense measures that will push our state forward. We know that legalizing cannabis for responsible adult use is wildly popular among Wisconsinites, including the majority of Republicans,” Agard added. “I fully support Governor Evers’ 2025-25 biennial budget proposal to fully legalize marijuana for responsible adult use, and if Republicans choose to remove it from the budget, I will once again introduce my bill to achieve this goal.  It’s high time we get this done for the betterment of our state and the people living here.”

On Feb. 17, 2023, a Georgia-based Black family of seven (two parents, Deonte Williams and Bianca Claymore and five children, one of which was an infant at the time) were driving to a funeral and traveling through Tennessee to Chicago, Illinois, when they were detained at a traffic stop. Law enforcement initially pulled them over for dark tinted windows and traveling in the left lane while not passing, but after finding five grams of cannabis in the pocket of the Williams, he was arrested, Clayborne was cited, and they spent four hours at the Coffee County Justice Center.

The children were terrified, and DCS caseworkers asked to obtain a urine sample from Clayborne, who refused because she didn’t want to leave her kids alone. They compromised to have her give a urine sample in her car, while surrounded by law enforcement, and she attempted to do so, but ultimately could not. DCS told her that not complying “made matters worse” for her, and an emergency order from Coffee County Judge Greg Perry was issued for the children; they were removed from Bianca’s side at the justice center and taken into state custody.

The children were placed in temporary separate foster homes, where Clayborne was not allowed to visit them, and later they were allowed to stay with a family friend while the case was ongoing. Finally, after 55 days of separation, the children were returned to their parents on April 13. Clayborne’s misdemeanor was dismissed, Williams pled guilty to a misdemeanor, and the Department of Children’s Services dismissed the case.

According to the Tennessee Lookout, the sudden separation caused Clayborne to suffer from intense anxiety, depression, and mental anguish, and she stopped producing breast milk during that time. The news report shared that the children have also shown signs of trauma because of the incident, including one child having nightmares, wetting the bed, and another child now “has a visceral reaction to seeing police.”

Nearly one year later on Feb. 8, the family is suing the three DCS caseworkers, four Tennessee Highway Patrol officers, 10 Coffee County Sheriff Department officers, all of which played a part in the incident. “These public officials illegally tore apart and terrorized Clayborne’s family. They acted outrageously and unlawfully. Their actions caused severe emotional trauma to Clayborne and each of her five children,” the lawsuit stated. “Clayborne and the children bring this lawsuit to vindicate their rights against people that harmed them, though the full extent of the harm to their family may never be undone.”

The lawsuit claims that the family’s fourth amendment rights were violated, that there is evidence of multiple counts of false arrest and imprisonment, in addition to many other counts. The family is represented by Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski, and Wall, PLLC, and Rubenfeld Law Office, PC.

Last year, Williams’ and Claymore’s attorney, Jamaal Boykin, expressed the sheer horror of such an event taking place. “It’s just so shocking to the conscience that in 2023 this is happening,” said Boykin. “I just have to believe if my clients looked different or had a different background, they would have just been given a citation and told you just keep this stuff away from the kids while you’re in this state and they’d be on their way.”

Legislators who heard about the incident also stood up for the family, such as Tennessee Sen. London Lamar. “DCS, Coffee County, y’all need to do the right thing before the situation gets worse, and we have a nation of people coming to the rescue of this Black family,” said Lamar. “Give them their children back. It’s borderline discrimination, because if this was any other family, as their attorney said, we don’t even think this would be the outcome.”

Tennessee Sen. Raumesh Akbari also exclaimed her disappointment in the events that tore the family apart. “It is outrageous that the state forcefully separated Bianca Clayborne, a breastfeeding mother, and Deonte Williams from their kids and have allowed this to continue for nearly a month,” Akbari said. “The state exercised extreme and flawed judgment in taking their children and it seems they’ve doubled down on this poor decision. No family is perfect, but an imperfection, like a simple marijuana charge, is no excuse for tearing a family apart. The state is supposed to support reunification. If they don’t have a better reason, they must immediately return these five children to their parents.”

Cannabis laws in Tennessee are incredibly strict, even for the limited number of patients who are permitted to use medical cannabis as residents. In the 2022 State of the States Report written by Americans for Safe Access, Tennessee received an “F” grade for its medical cannabis program. “Tennessee policymakers should avoid delaying implementation of a medical cannabis program; patients in the state are actively harmed by the state’s inaction,” the ASA wrote. Other states with an “F” rating included Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

As New Jersey approaches the two-year anniversary of its recreational cannabis market launch this April and adult-use revenue continues to rise, regulators recently announced a new incentive for residents to secure their medical cards.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) announced last week that signup and renewal for its new digital medical cards will be free. According to the commission, the new digital cards will begin rolling out in a few weeks and were introduced to prioritize patient accessibility and convenience.

The digital cards can be presented on a mobile device, eliminating the risk of losing or damaging a physical card while also enhancing accessibility, the commission says.

Changes to New Jersey’s Medical Cannabis Program

Those who would still like a physical medical card are still in for a bargain, as the NJ-CRC also recently reduced its physical registration fees to $10 — they will not be required to pay again until renewal two years later, which is also a $10 fee.

The entire announcement touches on a number of other topics related to New Jersey medical cannabis, with the last header hitting on “Satisfaction Among Program Participants.” It notes a recent survey, conducted by the commission, that found less than 9% of 1,000 surveyed patients said they were unsatisfied with the service they received after contacting Patient Services at the NJ-CRC.

“While many respondents shared concerns about the health care provider fees, product prices, and product availability, more than half said they participate in the program to enjoy the lower price they get from regular patient discounts and not having to pay state taxes, and to have access to the strains and products available only to patients,” the commission states in the announcement.

It also encourages readers to look out for dates for medical cannabis program registration clinics, which are set to be held across New Jersey in the coming months.

New Jersey’s Declining Medical Cannabis Market

Looking at New Jersey cannabis sales trends, the reduction in registration and renewal fees may not come as a shock. New York similarly waived its $50 medical cannabis fee in 2022, the year after it legalized recreational cannabis.

And as New Jersey’s recreational cannabis market has continued to blossom, boosting overall sales numbers, its medical sales are gradually declining.

In April 2022, when recreational sales launched in New Jersey, there were 128,548 total patients in the state. That number in January 2024 was only 88,670, approximately a 31% decrease in less than two years.

While medical sales numbers for 2023 Q4 are not yet available, looking at year-over-year comparisons of Q3 also provides some context for just how stark this change is. Medical sales for 2022 Q3 came to about $61.1 million, while 2023 Q3 was less than half that amount at approximately $29.2 million. 

Conversely, recreational sales year-over-year for the same periods increased from approximately $177.7 million to $206.1 million, for 2022 and 2023’s third quarters respectively.

Potential Incentive for Patient Enrollment

While the NJ-CRC did not make any explicit mentions of sales trends and the decline of medical cannabis sales numbers, it’s likely that these moves were made in part to encourage more residents to take advantage of the state’s medical cannabis program.

As regions introduce their own legal recreational cannabis markets, allowing access for anyone over 21 years old with a valid ID, consumers in legal cannabis states often wonder about the need for a medical card. 

One of the main perks for many is avoiding the taxes levied on recreational products, as mentioned by the commission in their announcement. 

In New Jersey, recreational cannabis products are subject to the standard 6.625% sales tax, along with the Social Equity Excise Fee which changes based on the average price of cannabis — as of Jan. 1, 2024, the fee was updated to $1.24 per ounce. Municipalities can also charge a 2% transfer fee on cannabis sales that occur within their borders.

These taxes may not seem extreme given the additional taxes in some other states — Washington State has the highest cannabis taxes in the continental U.S. with its 37% excise tax, for example.

While the tax rates may not be the highest, New Jersey infamously has some of the most expensive recreational cannabis in the country. Aside from the tax relief, medical programs tend to have cheaper pricing along with specialized products, higher dosage options and more. 

Whether these efforts will actually reverse New Jersey’s medical cannabis market trends remains to be seen; the decline in medical sales and program enrollment numbers tends to be a recurring theme in medical-only states that legalize recreational cannabis.