[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/blog\/legal-marijuana-in-nj-how-does-it-effect-pa-residents\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/blog\/legal-marijuana-in-nj-how-does-it-effect-pa-residents\/","headline":"Legal Marijuana in NJ: How Does it Affect PA Residents?","name":"Legal Marijuana in NJ: How Does it Affect PA Residents?","description":"Recreational marijuana became legal in the Garden State on April 21, 2022.\u00a0 Adults, 21 years or older, […]","datePublished":"2022-04-21","dateModified":"2022-04-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/author\/smoyer\/#Person","name":"Sara Moyer","url":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/author\/smoyer\/","identifier":63,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Sara-Moyer_Square_600x600-150x150.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Sara-Moyer_Square_600x600-150x150.jpg","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Gross McGinley, LLP","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logopng-00436945-e1531508982151.png","url":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logopng-00436945-e1531508982151.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Marijuana-Law-Image-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Marijuana-Law-Image-1.jpg","height":597,"width":597},"url":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/blog\/legal-marijuana-in-nj-how-does-it-effect-pa-residents\/","about":["Blog"],"wordCount":540,"articleBody":"Recreational marijuana became legal in the Garden State on April 21, 2022.\u00a0 Adults, 21 years or older, can now purchase up to 1 ounce of dried flower; 5 grams of concentrates, resins, or oils; 1000 mg of ingestible products (like gummies); or a combination of these three forms of cannabis in a single transaction.\u00a0 New Jersey medical marijuana patients can still receive cannabis orders from their doctor of up to 3 ounces for every 30-day period, filled at a state-licensed Alternative Treatment Center.Pennsylvania residents can purchase recreational marijuana if they visit the Garden State.\u00a0 The closest New Jersey dispensary to the Lehigh Valley is located in Phillipsburg.\u00a0 But, for those planning to partake, you should know that any recreational marijuana must be consumed in New Jersey.\u00a0 It is illegal to transport marijuana over state lines.Pennsylvania\u2019s Marijuana Possession LawsPennsylvania has not legalized recreational marijuana and the possession of even a small amount of marijuana (defined as 30 grams or less) is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine, or both.\u00a0 Some jurisdictions in Pennsylvania, including the City of Bethlehem, have voted to decriminalize the possession of a small amount of marijuana.\u00a0 In those limited jurisdictions, individuals can be cited under an ordinance rather than the state law, often at the discretion of local law enforcement.Pennsylvania has a medical marijuana program.\u00a0 Under this law, Pennsylvania residents who have a qualifying \u201cserious medical condition\u201d as certified by an approved physician can obtain an ID card to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary.\u00a0 Serious medical conditions include anxiety disorders, cancer, epilepsy, HIV\/AIDS, MS, and Parkinson\u2019s disease, among others.\u00a0 Patients can purchase up to a 90-day supply of medical marijuana, which includes cannabis-infused pills, oils, topical ointments, tinctures, liquids, and dry leaf.\u00a0 If you have a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania, federal law prohibits you from owning or purchasing a firearm.Pennsylvania\u2019s Marijuana DUI LawsA person who consumes marijuana in New Jersey and drives back into the Commonwealth risks a DUI conviction.\u00a0 Pennsylvania criminalizes driving while marijuana or any of its metabolites are present in your blood.\u00a0 Inactive (non-psychoactive) metabolites of marijuana are detectable in a person\u2019s blood weeks after cannabis is consumed.\u00a0 So, even if you\u2019re not driving while high, you could be found guilty of a DUI offense in Pennsylvania.There is no exception under Pennsylvania\u2019s DUI law for medical marijuana patients.\u00a0 If you have a medical marijuana card in the Commonwealth, the presence of marijuana or one of its metabolites while driving could result in a DUI conviction.\u00a0 Recent attempts to amend the DUI statute to provide legal limits for medical marijuana patients have stalled in the Pennsylvania legislature.Outlook on Marijuana Legalization in PennsylvaniaExpect marijuana legalization to be front and center in Pennsylvania\u2019s next election cycle.\u00a0 Pennsylvania\u2019s Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman has made marijuana legalization a cornerstone of his bid for the Commonwealth\u2019s open U.S. Senate seat.\u00a0 In February 2022, the Pennsylvania legislature held its first hearings to discuss the topic of recreational marijuana.\u00a0 Recent surveys indicate that a majority of Pennsylvania voters support legalizing recreational marijuana.Sara Moyer is an associate attorney at Gross McGinley and practices with the Criminal Defense, Medical Malpractice Defense, and Litigation Teams."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Resources","item":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Legal Marijuana in NJ: How Does it Affect PA Residents?","item":"https:\/\/www.grossmcginley.com\/resources\/blog\/legal-marijuana-in-nj-how-does-it-effect-pa-residents\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]