Senate President Steve Sweeney attended the NAACP’s New Jersey State Conference today where he joined with the members of the oldest, largest and one of the most effective civil rights organizations in the country to discuss issues of importance in the continuing fight for equal justice and opportunities. This year’s theme, “The Evolution of the Revolution”, represents the NAACP’s intergenerational approach to civil rights in today’s multifaceted movement.
More towns took a stand or plan to take a stand against marijuana.
The Freehold Township Committee voted unanimously to bar all sales of marijuana in the township, the Asbury Park Press reported. The ban included medical marijuana in addition to recreational.
On Wednesday, Oct. 17, a town hall meeting will be held at Washington School in Plainfield at 7 p.m. to discuss potential marijuana legislation in the City of Plainfield. The discussion will give residents insight into national legislation and a firsthand account into local New Jersey medical marijuana legislation. During this panel, residents will have the opportunity to share their views regarding statewide recreational marijuana use before a bill is considered by the end of October.
The Asbury hotel is located at 210 5th Ave. in Asbury Park. Admission is free. Registration is required.
Visit tickets.app.com to reserve your seat or call 732.643.4200 for more information. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
But there is one potential stumbling block: a tax. Lawmakers are talking about a pretty hefty tax that they want to impose on the drug once it becomes available commercially.
Murphy and lawmakers say they're looking at Oct 29 as the day the state Legislature should pass a bill legalizing marijuana in New Jersey. It's not clear if the governor would actually sign it that day, or right afterward.
Efforts to legalize and tax the recreational use of marijuana have so far stalled in the state House, but New Jersey legislators aren’t giving up yet.
On Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers from the state Senate met to discuss a bill that legislative leaders say will bring their legalization efforts to fruition.
As The Record reports, Senate President Steve Sweeney has said he wants to have a bill passed by the end of the month, and Democrats are working to meet that goal.
Colleen Mahr is very clear about the role municipalities will play if adult-use marijuana legislation is passed in New Jersey.
“This is a local issue,” says Mahr, the mayor of Fanwood and the incoming president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities. She says there are two key issues that have to be clearly addressed in the legislation: social justice and taxes.
As we are seeing in legalized states, the safety and economic consequences of legalizing recreational marijuana far outweigh the perceived benefits.
Marijuana legalization ushers in a new Big Tobacco-type industry that comes with a multitude of public health concerns, including addiction, youth drug use and higher numbers of minority arrests.
And with the nation in the grips of an opioid crisis, we cannot forget that the CDC has found that marijuana users are nearly three times more likely to be addicted to heroin.
Council members let their views on a state measure that would legalize marijuana for recreational purposes be known during their last meeting of September.
Councilman Scott Martin spoke out strongly against the proposed legislation, citing statistics, and saying, “I support the legalization of marijuana for medical use, but as a councilman I am deeply troubled by the effect legalizing recreational marijuana will have on today’s youth.”
While several townships neighboring Monroe have passed various versions of anti-marijuana laws, Monroe has yet to make a decision.
Residents questioned the lack of township plans this month, indicating that they believe it is time for the municipal government to take action banning recreational marijuana use.
“This is very important. We request that the Monroe Township pass an ordinance preemptively banning recreational use of marijuana,” said Parkash Parab. “This is not good for our residents.”