The marijuana legalization pros and cons have been debated for decades. The recent expansion of New Jersey’s medicinal marijuana program, the roll-out of legal hemp cultivation, and referendum on recreational use for those 21 and older planned for later this year, point to the significant and sustained efforts by lawmakers to address the impact of marijuana convictions through reforms to the expungement laws.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation (A. 5981/S. 4154) into law today facilitating the expungement of low-level marijuana crimes and other offenses.
The measure establishes an expedited process for expunging the criminal records associated with minor marijuana-related violations, among other changes. An analysis of nationwide arrest data published last year reported that New Jersey was third in the nation in total marijuana arrests and second only to Wyoming in per capita marijuana arrests.
State Senate President Steve Sweeney said Tuesday he’s open to exploring a decriminalization measure now that New Jersey won’t have a legal cannabis marketplace for at least another year.
“I’m open to something,” Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said in an interview, adding that he’d want a decriminalization bill structured in a way that doesn't “make the black market so attractive that it becomes worse.“