As New Jersey strives to grow its adult-use recreational cannabis industry, one of the many challenges it faces is inequality between an electorate that legalized cannabis via a referendum with nearly 70% support, but is significantly less enthusiastic about the industry moving into its own communities. While the league does not have a position on the legalization of recreational marijuana, we do provide information to our members. The League`s working group studied and studied the impact of legalizing adult recreational use on communities. These include: New Jersey has strict drug possession laws for recreational marijuana, prescription drugs, and other substances. There are exceptions in the state for medical marijuana. In Colorado, where cannabis was legalized in 2012, the 2021 report from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area — a federally funded law enforcement group that publishes an annual report on the effects of cannabis — found that since the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2013, The number of deaths on roads in which drivers tested positive for marijuana has increased. increased by 138%, while all deaths on Colorado`s roads increased by 29%. Road deaths involving drivers testing positive for marijuana more than doubled, from 55 in 2013 to 131 people killed in 2020, and the percentage of all road deaths in Colorado involving drivers testing positive for marijuana rose from 11 percent in 2013 to 20 percent in 2020. Exposure to marijuana, where marijuana was the only substance reported to the Rocky Mountain Drug and Poison Center, increased 185 percent from 2013, and the percentage of suicide incidents where toxicology was positive for marijuana increased from 14 percent in 2013 to 29 percent in 2020. People who are in possession of drugs they abuse for recreational purposes can face heavy legal penalties, including fines and jail time. In New Jersey, there is a loophole in the law called “give.” When “gifts” occur, the company sells a negligible product, such as a box of cookies, to a customer at an astronomical price, such as $50.
Then, when the company delivers the product, it offers a “free gift” of cannabis as a thank you for the purchase of the cookies. It was believed that this program began in Washington, D.C., after cannabis was legalized, but had not yet established licensed dispensaries. [71] The law requires that a large portion of state cannabis revenues be invested in communities that have been most affected by the “war on drugs.” A 2016 report by New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform and New Jersey Policy Perspective concluded that if New Jersey legalized marijuana, it could generate about $300 million in sales tax revenue annually for the state. (The report assumes a 25% sales tax and $1.2 billion in annual marijuana sales.) [9] Thursday`s debut marked the culmination of a decades-long effort by state advocates to legalize recreational use and end years of racially unbalanced law enforcement. New Jersey is one of 18 states and the District of Columbia that have legalized marijuana use for adults. Make no mistake. As a nonprofit addiction treatment center based in Paterson, founded in 1975 to treat those who otherwise could not afford or access addiction treatment, Turning Point, NJ has been at the forefront of the “war on drugs” for a generation. We see every day the devastation caused by policies that address the sickness of addiction, mental illness and trauma with mass incarceration. We shared a sense of urgency for criminal justice reform. However, we also know that the legalization of cannabis will increase the population that uses drugs and for whom drugs become a problem.
Not so long ago, New Jersey taxpayers were promised that legalizing gambling and casinos would be the solution to their tax burden. Gambling generates nearly $1.2 billion a year in New Jersey, but that revenue hasn`t translated into taxpayer relief. In Colorado, marijuana taxes earmarked for education account for less than one percent of the state`s education budget. While New Jersey still penalizes possession of most drugs, recreational and prescription, up to a certain amount, there are some legal exceptions to this rule that are important to be aware of. These involve medical professionals. Regulators must choose a date for the sale at least 180 days in advance. “No need to be harassed and have to hide,” said Rodriguez, who stood outside the Zen Leaf dispensary in Lawrence, New Jersey, with his 60-year-old mother, Debra, who uses marijuana to relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis. The authors include a New Jersey university professor, entertainment journalists, and a CEO of a cannabis company. New Jersey Medical Marijuana Registry Homepage! New Jersey State Medical Marijuana Program. People must be at least 21 years old to participate in the cannabis industry.
[66] Advertising must be limited primarily to adults, with television and radio advertising only permitted between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.[70] Businesses are required to mask odors and participate in local discussions, and must have at least one employee who can respond to complaints from locals. In June 2021, New Jersey`s attorney general sent warning letters to businesses that took advantage of the lack of gifts. Four companies were specifically targeted for cease and desist letters for gifts: Four Sky High Munchies, Slumped Kitchen LLC, NJGreenDirect.com LLC and West Winds Wellness. [72] The lack of donations undermines the legal framework governing the sale and possession of cannabis in the state.