NJ Attorney General Gurbir Grewal sent a letter to halt prosecutions of cannabis charges in light of legalization on New Year’s Day. Grewal wrote that New Jersey municipal, county and state prosecutors are instructed to pause addressing cannabis charges. Until at least January 25, 2021. “Fairness and justice require that we, as prosecutors, not move […]
While decriminalization has stalled, the Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing on the enabling legislation is tomorrow. “We’re doing our best to make it equitable,” said Assemblyman Joe Danielson (D-Somerset, Middlesex) regarding S. 21 and A. 21. Danielson is a primary sponsor of the enabling legislation along with Assembly members Annette Quijano (D-Union,) Jamel Holley […]
The NJ Senate Appropriations Committee passed the decriminalization bill while the implementation bill was pulled from the schedule. The decriminalization bill, S. 3525, passed with bipartisan support and the abstention of State Senator Sam Thompson (R-Middlesex). NJ Cannabis Decriminalization Progress “I’m really proud this bill is unique and of its kind. New Jersey will be […]
The last NJCAN webinar panel before the election Tuesday featured a discussion on NJ cannabis social equity with Assemblyman Jamel Holley (D-Union) and canna entrepreneur and NBA star Al Harrington. NJCAN leader Amol Sinha of the NJ ACLU said in general, minorities are arrested for cannabis crimes at a rate four times higher than whites. […]
State Senator Ron Rice (D-Essex), a notorious prohibitionist, got into a fight with Judiciary Chair Nick Scutari (D-Union), the sponsor for legalization over cannabis decriminalization which Essex County is pushing. According to Insider NJ, they almost had a physical confrontation. Cannabis Decriminalization Debate Rice, who always believed in cannabis decriminalization, is angry Scutari is not […]
The vote on the MORE Act, which has great social justice implications, has been delayed until after the election. Republicans seized on H.R. 3884, Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act to attack first-term Democrats from more moderate districts. They lied and conflated the Act with the “Defund the Police” movement. While similar, it was […]
State Senator Ron Rice is accusing State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Judiciary Committee Chair Nick Scutari (D-Union) of causing New Jersey cannabis decriminalization to stall. The New Jersey cannabis decriminalization bill passed the Assembly in a week from introduction to full passage in the wake of the George Floyd /Black Lives Matter protests. […]
Activists and NJ cannabis advocates of all ages and colors gathered in Newark yesterday to end the War on Drugs and pass cannabis legalization. The march was organized by Joshua Alb of Why Not THC. He partnered with the Newark Water Coalition and other groups to put the event together. Veteran Outreach Director for Minorities […]
A bill that will decriminalize cannabis up to two ounces passed the New Jersey Assembly today in a vote of 63 to 10 with five abstentions. Initially, A. 1897 would have only decriminalized 10 grams. Those found with cannabis would have to pay a penalty of $50. That money would be payable to the municipality […]
A bill on NJ marijuana decriminalization that lessens penalties for 10 grams or less passed the Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee’s remote hearing held Monday with three in favor and two abstentions in cannabis news. The bill that passed was a merger of two pending cannabis reform bills. A.1897 is called “Decriminalizes possession of […]
Legislation has been introduced to decriminalize New Jersey marijuana possession of a pound or less advance social justice. Those caught with New Jersey marijuana possession by a police officer would be given a written warning the first time and a $25 fine the second time. Pending charges would be dropped. The records of the incident […]
NJ decriminalization criminal justice reform, whereby 50 grams or less of cannabis would be treated comparable to a parking ticket, is dead in the lame-duck legislative session between the November election and the new Assembly’s swearing-in next week. The current NJ Assembly session ends next Tuesday, January 14th, at noon. There will likely be votes […]
© 2024 Heady NJ. All Rights Reserved.
Dan Ulloa
