Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (D-29-Essex-Hudson) introduced bills to penalize those selling weed or shroom edibles to kids and ensure prevention.
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According to a press release, the legislation seeks to prevent and respond to accidental drug ingestion, while raising penalties for those who provide the substances to minors.
Psychedelic Edible Shrooms Incident Backlash
Speight was spurred to introduce the bills after an incident this past summer where kids at a summer camp in East Orange ate edibles laced with psychedelic mushrooms, which ABC 7 reported.
Unfortunately, one of the children shared what appeared to be normal chocolate with other campers who were not aware the candy was contaminated.
“When we send our children to structured places like camp or school, we trust that they are in safe spaces where they are secure. Unfortunately, sometimes things that seem as innocuous as sharing candy with others can quickly end with our kids in the hospital,” Speight explained. “If we can put up guardrails to prevent these types of incidents from happening again, not just at camp, but anywhere, we will have done our job to keep our children safe.”
She believed the bills aim to teach children and teens about the dangers of unknown foods and beverages that could be laced with controlled substances. They also seek to provide training on how to respond if a child or teen becomes intoxicated, and hold anyone who provides or intends to provide these substances seriously accountable
NJ Shroom and Weed Edible Backlash Bills
Speight wants the State to take all necessary steps to keep kids safe, including:
- A5474 would upgrade the offense for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance in edible form to a person 17 years of age or younger to a second-degree crime.
- It would also expand the number of locations under an updated penalty beyond school property, school buses, and the 1,000-foot buffer zone to include childcare centers, youth camps, school- or community-sponsored youth sports events, day and summer camps, and any location used for school-related activities.
- A5475 would require the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), with the Departments of Education, Children and Families, and Health, to develop age-appropriate posters on the effects of consuming unknown food or beverages that may contain cannabis, hemp, or hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
- The posters would be distributed to public schools, nonpublic schools, child care centers, youth camps, recreational centers, and faith-based youth programs where they would be displayed in visible, high-traffic public areas.
- A5477 “would require school districts to provide students (from kindergarten to 12th grade) with information on the dangers of consuming unknown food and beverages, which could contain illicit substances like weed or psilocybin.”
- The students would also receive instruction on recognizing “the symptoms of intoxication and learn about laws that provide protection for those seeking medical treatment for substance ingestion, for themselves or others.”
- A5476 “would require employees in public schools, licensed child care centers, youth camps, recreation centers, and faith-based youth programs, to undergo training to recognize signs of intoxication in children from consumption of a cannabis item and respond adequately.”
Safety Versus Witch Hunts
“This legislation would help keep dangerous substances away from our kids. While sending a clear message that supplying these substances to minors carries serious consequences,” she added.
So far, none of the bills have a companion bill in the NJ Senate. They would be needed for the NJ Assembly bills to become law. None of the other bills have other sponsors either, which also helps in the process.
On the other hand, something like this could easily become part of a politically popular witch hunt. Many might love to go against those 21 and older accessing plant medicine utilized for centuries among different cultures.
