by: Bethany Vega
This past November on the ballot for New Jersey there was a question posed about the legalization of marijuana. With the final vote count at 67.1% for legalization, it was passed, but now what is next? What can we expect? How will things change? There are so many questions that we seem to have but here is what we do know.
In February, Governor Murphy signed three new laws regarding the legalization of marijuana. According to a NJ.com article, the laws are broken down this way:
● Law 1:
● “Establishes rules and regulations for a 21 and older marijuana industry in NJ.”
● Law 2:
● “Decriminalizes marijuana for adults.”
● Law 3:
● “Establishes written warnings for those under 21 caught with the drug.”
● A second offense results in the parents or guardian being informed of the underage (18 and under) user. ((There is a proposal to have this with a first offense)).
● A third offense includes referrals to community programs for drug education and treatment.
Since legalization is so new, many details need to be ironed out and discussed so we will slowly see more information coming out. Some information that we know of currently is that dispensaries will not be opening yet and not likely open until 2022. Marijuana cannot be smoked out on the streets like we see with vapes and cigarettes, however they are looking at having lounges and places established specifically for marijuana use. Edibles are available but they cannot have cartoon figures, shapes of people or trademarks that children might mistake for candy. Edibles also must show the THC content. The state is adhering to best practices that some of the early adopters of legalization did, and are also taking their time to create a safe and informative process.
Another change that we know of is the decriminalization of marijuana. For someone who is 21 and older, they cannot be arrested for using marijuana and they can have up to 6 ounces of marijuana on them. You cannot legally grow, sell, or purchase marijuana (purchasing changes only if you are a registered medical marijuana patient).
More is to come as details and laws become passed, but the information we know as of now is that legalization will have certain restrictions. Marijuana is still considered an addictive substance according to samhsa.gov. For more information regarding marijuana and the legalization, the Southwest Council, Inc. offers presentations on these topics, as well as various other topics. If you are interested in having a presentation, please reach out to the Southwest Council at info@southwestcouncil.org or by phone at (856) 794- 1011.
