Starting today, Jersey City will be the first municipality in the state to decriminalize marijuana.
Chief Prosecutor Jacob Hudnut, in a July 19 memo to the city’s assistant prosecutors, instructed them to downgrade some marijuana offenses to non-criminal offenses, encourage prosecutors to dismiss low-level cannabis offenses and recommend community court for individuals with a criminal history or signs of addiction.
“New Jerseyans of color are three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana,” Hudnut wrote.
Jersey City’s policy comes amidst a statewide push to legalize recreational marijuana, a key point of Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2017 campaign platform.