MONTLAIR, NJ – Thursday 4/20 will be the third time the informal cobblestone “festival” has been held in New Jersey since the state legalized recreational marijuana. And these days, Montclair residents don’t have to go far to find a joint to work with their cannabis lovers.
When the state begins legalizing weed sales in April 2021 — the day after 4/20 — it kicks off a green rush that’s gotten stronger over the years. There are now more than two dozen dispensaries in New Jersey that can sell recreational marijuana. See the details hereThrough the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
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So where can you buy legal weed near Montclair? There are three dispensaries in Essex County that are cleared for sale to the general public.
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New Jersey’s cannabis law allows for the safe possession of certain amounts of marijuana, but does not allow people to grow weed indoors. Read more: 5 things you need to know about marijuana legalization in NJ
But according to the Medical Marijuana-New Jersey Coalition, there are currently three different proposed laws that would allow people to cultivate cannabis at home.
- S342/A997: Allows the cultivation of medical cannabis at home
- A1422It makes it legal to possess six marijuana plants for personal use
- A3657/S353: Legalized six plants for personal use and 10 plants for medical purposes
Cannabis equality gifts
In recognition of 4/20 and National Cannabis Awareness Month, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will open applications for Phase One of the $10 million Cannabis Equity Grant Program on Thursday, April 20 at 9 a.m.
The Phase 1 Joint Venture grant awards $250,000 to eligible startups.
According to NJEDA, the Cannabis Equity Grants Program is focused on supporting businesses and startups in the recreational cannabis industry and ensuring that communities adversely affected by the war on drugs have fair access to the industry.
Eligible applicants must have established their business after March 9, 2020 and employ 50 or fewer full-time employees. Eligible uses for a joint venture grant include expenses such as rent and mortgage payments, payroll and independent contractors, utilities, legal, accounting, marketing, and more. To learn more about the program and eligibility requirements, visit NJEDA website.
Marijuana and pets don’t mix.
4/20 around the bend, TrupanionA pet insurance provider looked at its database of more than 800,000 cats and dogs to find out how cannabis affects our furry friends.
Obviously, many researchers have said. Trupaion says it sees more than 10 times more claims involving cannabis ingestion than alcohol. To date, Trupayon has paid more than $820,000 in marijuana toxicity claims.
Here are three important things pet owners should know about cannabis and their pets from TruPayon staff veterinarian Caroline Wilde:
THC is toxic to pets.
With relaxed laws around cannabis in many states, people may be less concerned about giving it up. Unfortunately, this means that pets are becoming more vulnerable to their owners and the consequences can be devastating.
- THC can cause balance problems, heart rhythm disturbances, impotence, or worse.
- Even inhaling second-hand smoke can be very dangerous for your pet.
Pot brownies and other edible treats present a double whammy for your pet.
Edibles can be a popular way to get high for some people, but be sure to keep those infused treats away from your pet.
- On their own, ingredients like chocolate, butter, and oil can be harmful to pets, and when combined with marijuana, the effects are even worse and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or pancreatitis.
“Edible forms of marijuana ‘double up’ on toxicity because the oil or plant is generally combined with something else that can be toxic to the pet,” says Caroline Wilde, a veterinarian at Trupanion. “For example, a pot brownie contains THC that is toxic and generally less harmful than chocolate mixed with chocolate. Depending on the amount and type consumed, chocolate can cause heart rhythm disturbances and seizures, and even death in large doses.”
What should you do if you suspect your dog has consumed marijuana?
- Management of cannabis or THC intake depends on how recently it was used, how much was consumed and what it was mixed with.
- If the ingestion is recent, your vet may induce vomiting.
- Depending on past dosage, your vet can sometimes administer activated charcoal to reduce the amount absorbed in the GI tract.
- If your pet is sedated, your vet can provide supportive care with fluids and monitoring, and manage any related side effects.
“If you are concerned about your pet ingesting marijuana, I recommend that you seek veterinary advice immediately so that your veterinarian can determine next steps (if any) and minimize any possible toxic ingestion,” Wilde said.
“Different parts of the plant have different levels of toxicity, so I’ve noticed that what the pet eats and what it’s mixed with can affect the level of toxicity,” Wilde said. As an example, if it is edible, we also have to worry about chocolate with butter and oils because it can be mixed with pot brownies, as well as THC.
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