JoAnne Zito says two job opportunities went up in smoke because of her misdemeanor marijuana possession conviction.
“Both jobs expressed great interest in hiring me until they received my background check,” said Zito of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.
Zito told the Assembly Judiciary Committee such convictions complicate life. Lawmakers have a bill that would expunge convictions for low-level marijuana possession.
“If we are to allow for legal possession and use of marijuana as many other states have done, then we have to ask ourselves if it’s morally just to allow those individuals to continue to carry the scarlet letter,” said bill co-sponsor and Judiciary Committee Chair Assemblywoman Annette Quijano.
All the speakers at Monday’s hearing favored the bill.
“These laws that we currently have are neither just nor fair,” said Safeer Quraishi, administrative director of the New Jersey NAACP.