Today, the New Jersey state legislature delayed a key marijuana vote, possibly until November. Our colleagues over at NORML passed the details over to us…
NORML Political Associate Tyler McFadden said, “Voters and lawmakers both agree that the practice of treating marijuana consumers as second-class citizens must end. Unfortunately, legislative intransigence regarding how best to create a regulatory framework has resulted in, at least for now, a continuation of the failed policy of marijuana criminalization in the Garden State.”
She added: “Criminalization is a policy that results in over 35,000 marijuana-related arrests annually in New Jersey — mostly for low-level marijuana possession. These arrests do not promote public safety, cost taxpayers millions of dollars, and disproportionately impact the poor and communities of color. It is pivotal that leadership continues to move forward to address and enact needed marijuana law reforms in New Jersey, including efforts to expunge past low-level marijuana convictions.
“Finally, it should be acknowledged that, to date, no state has taken legislative action to regulate the adult use marijuana market. In every jurisdiction where…