Ed “NJ Weedman” Forchion, the longtime marijuana advocate, was seriously injured last weekend when a truck collided with his motorcycle in Trenton.
Forchion livestreamed the crash aftermath on Facebook while lying on the ground surrounded by wreckage and while city EMTs treated him. He was taken to a hospital, where he continued posting videos.
Police later issued the truck driver — a 51-year-old resident of Elmhurst, New York — tickets for careless driving, failure to yield at an intersection, and failure to stop or yield, police spokesperson Capt. Lisette Rios said.
Rios said Forchion was riding east on South Clinton Avenue toward the intersection with Roebling Avenue when the truck, traveling south on Roebling, failed to yield to Forchion’s motorcycle in the intersection.
Forchion’s motorcycle struck the truck’s right rear tire area, Rios said.
He posted on Facebook Tuesday that he suffered spinal fractures and three ribs.
Forchion operates NJ Weedman’s Joint across from City Hall on East State Street, which has been his base of operations for years. He sold marijuana from the restaurant for years and drew the ire of city police and the county prosecutor’s office, even spending time in jail awaiting trial for charges that were later dismissed.
When New Jersey embraced legal marijuana dispensaries, Forchion did too, but his license to sell marijuana is in limbo with state authorities because a family member currently has a license, officials have said.
The city council in Trenton passed a resolution in late 2023 supporting his license before the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
However, in late 2024 Forchion sued the city in federal court, claiming officials were blocking his efforts to become a legitimate weed dealer. In response, he sometimes shined a Batman-like spotlight onto City Hall in protest.
The city has denied it’s blocking Forchion’s attempts to obtain a marijuana license. The case is pending.
Stories by Kevin Shea
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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com