New Jersey Marijuana Advocates Accuse Governor Sherrill of Ignoring Home-Grow Push Despite Campaign Pledge
- New Jersey marijuana advocates accuse Governor Mikie Sherrill of ignoring repeated requests to advance home cultivation legislation despite her public support during the 2025 campaign.
- Groups including Sativa Cross and the NJ Homegrowing Coalition say Sherrill’s administration has not responded to multiple attempts to discuss allowing patients and adults to grow marijuana at home.
- Two pending Senate bills propose allowing adults and medical patients to cultivate limited amounts of marijuana at home, but neither has progressed out of committee.
- Advocates argue the home cultivation ban disproportionately impacts medical patients by increasing costs, and they urge Sherrill to publicly reaffirm support and push lawmakers to act.
New Jersey marijuana advocates are accusing Governor Mikie Sherrill of ignoring repeated requests to help advance home cultivation legislation, despite publicly supporting the policy during her 2025 campaign.
Sativa Cross, the NJ Homegrowing Coalition and the Coalition for Medical Marijuana of New Jersey said in a press release that Sherrill’s administration has failed to respond to multiple attempts to discuss legislation that would allow patients and other adults to grow marijuana at home.
“We have reached out to the Governor and her team through many different avenues, only to be met with complete silence,” said Sue DeGregorio-Rosen, vice president of Sativa Cross.
During her campaign for governor, Sherrill said she supported home cultivation for both recreational consumers and medical marijuana patients, with “common-sense regulations, safeguards and limits.” She also said she would work with stakeholders, including law enforcement, on implementing the policy.
Advocates now want Sherrill to publicly call for lawmakers to hold a hearing on pending home-grow legislation.
New Jersey currently allows adults 21 and older to purchase and possess marijuana but does not allow them to cultivate it at home. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission says existing law does not authorize the commission to allow private residential cultivation, including for registered medical marijuana patients.
Several proposals seeking to change that remain pending in the Legislature.
Senate Bill 2564, sponsored by Senators Vin Gopal and Troy Singleton, would allow adults 21 and older to grow up to six marijuana plants for recreational use, with a household maximum of 12. Registered medical marijuana patients or their caregivers could cultivate up to 10 plants, also subject to a 12-plant household limit.
A separate proposal, Senate Bill 1758, focuses specifically on the medical program. It would allow a registered patient or designated caregiver to cultivate up to four mature and four immature marijuana plants. The bill’s sponsors say the change is intended to expand access for patients who may find dispensary marijuana unaffordable or who would benefit from home cultivation.
Neither proposal has advanced out of committee.
Advocates argue the continued prohibition disproportionately affects medical patients who struggle with the cost of purchasing marijuana from licensed dispensaries.
“Governor Sherrill campaigned on a promise of common-sense home grow reform,” DeGregorio-Rosen said. “Turning her back on patients now and refusing to even acknowledge our requests for a meeting is a profound betrayal.”
The groups are urging Sherrill to publicly reaffirm her support for home cultivation and press legislative leaders to take up the bills.