Legalizes growing or possessing up to six marijuana plants for personal recreational use, and up to 10 plants for personal medical use, by persons aged 21 or older.

A4576

ASSEMBLY, No. 4576

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblyman� KENYATTA STEWART

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Venezia and Assemblywoman Haider

SYNOPSIS

���� Legalizes growing or possessing up to six marijuana
plants for personal recreational use, and up to 10 plants for personal medical
use, by persons aged 21 or older.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning marijuana and amending various parts of the
statutory law.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� N.J.S.2C:35-4 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 2C:35-4.�
a.
� Except as
authorized by P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-1 et seq.), any person who knowingly
maintains or operates any premises, place or facility used for the manufacture
of methamphetamine, lysergic acid diethylamide, phencyclidine, gamma
hydroxybutyrate, flunitrazepam,
[
marijuana
in an amount greater than five pounds or ten plants
]
or any substance listed in
Schedule I or II, or the analog of any such substance, or any person who
knowingly aids, promotes, finances or otherwise participates in the maintenance
or operations of such premises, place or facility, is guilty of a crime of the
first degree and shall, except as provided in N.J.S.2C:35-12, be sentenced to a
term of imprisonment which shall include the imposition of a minimum term which
shall be fixed at, or between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed,
during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole. Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, the court may also impose a fine
not to exceed $750,000.00 or five times the street value of all controlled
dangerous substances, controlled substance analogs, gamma hydroxybutyrate or
flunitrazepam at any time manufactured or stored at such premises, place or
facility, whichever is greater
[
.
]
;

����
b.����� As set forth in
this subsection, growing or possessing marijuana plants for personal
recreational use or personal medical use by a person aged 21 or older is not subject
to any punishment, as this possession is not a crime, offense, act of
delinquency, or civil violation of law. This subsection applies under the
following circumstances:

����
(1) A person aged 21 or
older may grow or possess up to six marijuana plants for personal recreational
use, with a maximum of 12 plants per household; and

����
(2) A qualifying patient as
defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3), aged 21 or older, or a
designated caregiver, as defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3),
aged 21 or older, on behalf of the qualifying patient, may grow or possess up
to 10 marijuana plants for personal medical use, with a maximum of 12 plants
per household.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.133, s.2)

���� 2.��� (New section)� Within 90
days of the effective date of P.L. , c.��� (C.������� )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Cannabis Regulatory
Commission established by section 31 of P.L.2019, c.153 (C.24:6I-24) shall
implement rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of subsection b. of
N.J.S.2C:35-4.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would make it legal
for a person aged 21 or over to grow and possess certain amounts of marijuana
for personal use.

���� P.L.2021, c.16, which
legalized the personal use of cannabis, provides that possession of six ounces
or less of marijuana, including any adulterants or dilutants, is not subject to
any punishment, as this possession is not a crime, offense, act of delinquency,
or civil violation of law.� Under the enactment, possession of more than six
ounces of marijuana, including any adulterants or dilutants, constitutes a
crime of the fourth degree.� A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a
term of imprisonment of up to 18 months or a fine of up to $10,000 or both.

���� P.L.2021, c.16 does not make
it legal for a person to grow their own marijuana for personal use.

���� Under the bill, growing or
possessing marijuana plants for personal recreational use or personal medical
use by a person aged 21 or older would also not be a crime, offense, act of
delinquency, or civil violation of law. The bill would apply under the following
circumstances:

���� �(1) A person aged 21 or older
may grow or possess up to six marijuana plants for personal recreational use,
with a maximum of 12 plants per household; and

���� (2) A qualifying patient as
defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3), aged 21 or older, or a
designated caregiver, as defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3),
aged 21 or older, on behalf of the qualifying patient, may grow or possess up
to 10 marijuana plants for personal medical use, with a maximum of 12 plants
per household.