TRENTON – In the final public meeting of the year, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) voted to approve the reduction of registration and renewal fees for medicinal cannabis patients and their caregivers.
New patients and the more than 95,000 patients and caregivers who participate in the Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP) will see the cost for registering and renewing fall to just $10 for two years as of Thursday, December 7, at 5 p.m. Previously, the fees were $50 for most registrants, and $20 for seniors and others that qualified for reduced fees. In early 2024, the Commission will roll out free digital ID cards for any patient or caregiver that opts for a digital only patient ID.
“We are consistently looking for ways to make the Medicinal Cannabis Program accessible and effective for patients. We recently upgraded our patient portal, and our latest effort is the reduction and ultimate elimination of fees,” said NJ-CRC executive director Jeff Brown. “Many patients face barriers to accessing treatment due to costs, like paying out of pocket for doctor’s visits and the cost of cannabis. NJ-CRC is doing everything in our power to eliminate as many barriers as possible to ensure those who can benefit from cannabis treatment remain in the program.”
Once the digital ID cards become available in early 2024, free registration and renewal will be available to all MCP participants. Only those who wish to have a physical card will need to pay the $10 for registration or renewal, or $5 for a replacement.
More information about the Medicinal Cannabis Program is available here: https://www.nj.gov/cannabis/medicinalcannabis/.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission establishes and enforces the rules and regulations governing the licensing, cultivation, testing, selling, and purchasing of cannabis in the state.