Governor Murphy announced his appointments of Dianna Houenou as Chair of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, and Jeff Brown will serve as Executive Director of the Commission. The Governor will also appoint Krista Nash as a member of the Commission, upon the recommendation of Senate President Steve Sweeney.
“Dianna has been a critical voice for social justice and equity on my team for the past year and a half after spending several years working on the fight to legalize marijuana with the ACLU,” said Governor Murphy. “Her commitment to doing what is right and to leaving no one behind has powered our criminal justice reform agenda, and I am immensely proud that she will be continuing that commitment as Chair of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. Since day one, we have said that the legalization of recreational marijuana must prioritize the communities marginalized and decimated by the failed War on Drugs. I know that Dianna is the perfect person to lead our state’s effort to create a marketplace for recreational marijuana that is equitable, fair, and inclusive of all communities.”
“Jeff’s leadership overseeing the state’s Medicinal Marijuana program has contributed greatly to our efforts to expand access to those who need it,” continued Governor Murphy. “He will bring the same integrity, care, and expertise that have led to the success of our Medicinal Marijuana program to his new role as Executive Director of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, where he will play a key role in establishing our recreational marijuana marketplace.”
“These are excellent appointments who will help ensure the success and integrity of the new cannabis industry in New Jersey,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “Once we have the commission in place, we can move forward with the legalization process that will deliver social justice reforms and create a new business sector that offers economic opportunities. The commission will have the responsibility of creating the organizational and regulatory system to oversee the safe use of cannabis products by adults. They will play an important role in guiding New Jersey’s leadership role in the reform process.”
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to have been chosen by Governor Murphy for this important position. New Jerseyans have long supported expansions of the medicinal cannabis program and now have raised their voices in support of legalized personal use for adults,” said Dianna Houenou, incoming Chair of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. “Governor Murphy has been steadfast in his commitment to promoting equity and social justice in the cannabis market, and I am especially grateful for the opportunity to put those values to work as part of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. From promoting inclusion in the permit holders to making affirmative investments in the future of our communities of color, New Jersey is poised to mark its position as a leader in advancing racial and social justice. The opportunities for equity that lay ahead are limitless, and I look forward to seizing them for the benefit of New Jersey’s communities that have been disproportionately harmed by failed past policies.”
“New Jersey voters have said definitively that they are ready to end cannabis prohibition,” said Jeff Brown, incoming Executive Director of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. “I am beyond honored to accept this role and to be able play a key role in enacting the will of those voters, and commit to doing so in a way that is safe, equitable, fair, and ensures that our medical cannabis patients always have the access they need.”
“I am humbled and excited to serve on this very important commission,” said Krista Nash, an incoming member of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. “I thank Senate President Sweeney for this opportunity. I look forward to bringing my education and experience as a social worker to the table in order to provide thoughtful input during this process to benefit the residents of New Jersey.”
