Assembly Speaker Coughlin (D-Middlesex) has nominated Sam Delgado, a retired Hispanic lobbyist, to the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC).
He is the lobbyist and the husband of Coughlin’s district mate, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex). She first won office in 2017 along with Murphy and replaced John Wisniewski in the seat.
“Sam is an expert in the fields of community leadership, business management, strategic planning, supplier diversity, and regulatory policy. He will bring these talents to the Commission and is a valued addition,” Coughlin said.
Sam Delgado lobbied for Verizon as Vice President of External Affairs and was a founder of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Delgado was also on Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s transition team when he first took office.
Before joining the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, Sam Delgado served in the Marines as a Communications Officer. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Felician University last July. It’s a small Catholic college in Bergen County.
Delgado has no experience in cannabis, either in advocacy or the industry.
Cannabis Regulatory Commission Develops Slowly
Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) nominated social worker Krista Nash, wife of Camden Freeholder Jeff Nash, months ago. Murphy nominated Dianna Houenou to be Chair shortly after the referendum passed with 67 percent. She was the lead ACLU-NJ advocate for cannabis reform before accepting a position in the Governor’s office. Two more seats need to be filled before the commission has its five full members.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission was outlined in the Jake Honig Act, signed into law in July 2019. It will eventually oversee medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis in New Jersey.
Deputy Health Commissioner Jeff Brown, in charge of New Jersey’s medical cannabis program, was named the Cannabis Regulatory Commission Executive Director when Houenou was named Cannabis Regulatory Commission Chair.
