Activist NJWeedman Celebrates Citizen's Dispensary Debut Amid Marijuana Legalization Scrutiny

Marijuana activist Ed Forchion — who goes by the nickname NJWeedman — will host a NJ/NYE Constitutional Amendment to Legalize Marijuana Virtual Smoke Out at his NJWeedman's Joint on New Year’s Eve.

The idea behind the event is to celebrate the opening of his Citizen’s Dispensary, scheduled for Jan. 1, when cannabis officially becomes legal in the state of New Jersey.

Forchion noted that no official rules were defined for the implementation of the new law, which legalizes cannabis, which is why he decided to “plant his seeds firmly in the Garden State's new legalization soil.”

Both Forchion and his partner, Debi Madaio, are known to the public for their involvement in New Jersey’s current cannabis politics. They have been passionately campaigning to enable the necessary conditions for running NJWeedman's Joint legally.

Madaio recently launched a petition to urge New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to grant NJWeedman's Joint a recreational cannabis license, which are said to be extremely expensive.

Forchion has taken a step or two further with his fight, suing the State of New Jersey for “bait and switch laws” that will allow for a legalization of a “corporate, Caucasian run cannabis industry, under the guise of legalizing marijuana.” His opinion is that after the legalization, cannabis will remain illegal in disadvantaged communities of New Jersey.

The newly announced event will be held outdoors at 322 E. State St. in Trenton with restricted capacity, following the state recommendations in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will also be available to join virtually through various social media platforms.

"As an activist, I feel like I have come full circle now," cites Forchion.  "What I have been shouting about for decades, been terrorized by the police, prosecutors and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for, and prosecuted by the law for, has now come to fruition.  Marijuana is being recognized as legal around the country.  But now, guys like me who paved this path are being cut of the business. Legalization in New Jersey doesn't include felons like me. Black market dealers like me will still be criminalized while a new corporate culture capitalizes on the sale of cannabis. We got jail cells while they come in and get to sell!"

The bottom line for "NJWeedman" is that vendors like him have been "servicing marijuana users for decades" and plan to continue doing just that.

"I consider my time served in prison my licensing fee to participate in the marijuana marketplace and I refuse to get off the cannaBus!" he added.