This photo shows Governor Phil Murphy signing the law to set up a recreational marijuana market. Edwin J. Torres / AP Photo
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy finally came up with a 2017 campaign promise where when he signed legislation on Monday that legalizes adult cannabis, decriminalizes possession of up to six ounces of the drug and codifies criminal reforms that are turning the way police officers deal with underage offenders. will put.
Despite New Jersey’s deep blue political background and strong tailwinds in support of the eased Reagan-era drug policies, Murphy, a progressive Democrat, was close to rejecting the measures.
Adult use is supported by the state’s two most powerful lawmakers, and three months ago, 67 percent of state voters backed a constitutional change that stated that New Jerseyans 21 and older should be allowed to sell and use cannabis.
Still, New Jersey’s three-year odyssey toward a regulated cannabis market was nearly dashed by disagreements between Murphy, top Democrats and leaders of the Black and Latino legislative caucus over how to punish children caught with a loose joint.
“There is no one who has supported these efforts who would not acknowledge that this process has taken much longer than expected, but it is certainly better to get things done right rather than quickly,” Murphy said at a news conference on Monday. Democratic lawmakers who “kept working and talking even when things came to a halt.”
Murphy’s remarks came an hour after the afternoon deadline for action against both a legalization measure NJ A21 (20R) and a bill for decriminalization NJ A1897 (20R), who were sent to his office on December 17. It wasn’t until the legislature approved a third bill on fines for minors on Monday morning, NJ A5342 (20R)NJ S3454 (20R) – with just 20 minutes left – that Murphy put his autograph on all three.
Thus, New Jersey became the 15th state to approve cannabis for recreational purposes.
“This process may have been in fits and starts, but it is ending in the right place,” said the governor.
The ‘right place’ is not liked by almost everyone involved.
“No one is happy and nothing is perfect. And let’s not let the pursuit of the perfect be the enemy of the good, ”said Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), the main sponsor of the cannabis bills, shortly before the House of Lords, 12/23, voted to forward the bill. to the governor. “This is a topic that must be left behind.”
The protracted debate on fines for minors brought the legislator to a halt. The Assembly pushed back its planned quorums twice to provide more runway for the negotiations, frustrating lawmakers who thought they had finished work on cannabis laws when they sent the legalization and decriminalization laws to Murphy in December.
Although Murphy’s team had worked closely with lawmakers on both legalization and decriminalization laws, it was only after their passage that officials discovered inconsistencies in the legislation they interpreted as legalizing cannabis for children.
Under the legalization law, those 21 and younger who are caught with less than 1 ounce of cannabis can be charged with a petty crime by disorderly individuals. But the decriminalization law removed penalties for those under 21 who were caught in possession of marijuana – a term that would only apply to illegal products.
Some in the legislature insisted those decisions were deliberate, noting that this would discourage police interactions within minority communities where drug laws are disproportionately enforced. Murphy pushed back, telling reporters “No one, including yours, has ever talked about legalizing marijuana, recreational marijuana for kids. That has never been in the cards.”
Shortly before the new year, the government asked lawmakers to pass a third, scavenging bill that would clarify fines for minors, sparking more than two months of intense negotiations that collapsed repeatedly as the state’s democratic leaders struggled to reach a consensus on how to discourage the use of drugs by minors without being overly punitive.
In early February, as the talks sputtered, it was Murphy prepare conditional vetoes for both the legalization and decriminalization laws, a move that would have watered down one of his signature policy initiatives and further alienate him from the Democrats in the legislature.
It wasn’t until late last week that Senate Democrats began to reach consensus on language that would save legalization.
Under the language adopted, minors in possession of both cannabis and alcohol would be subject to a series of formal, escalating warnings that could result in a referral to a community organization for advice or other services.
Additionally, law enforcement officers can be found guilty of depriving residents of their civil rights if they are found to have violated new rules dictating the possession of minors. The smell of cannabis or alcohol will no longer be enough to justify a search. The same goes for “undisguised possession” of an alcoholic beverage, marijuana, hash or cannabis product, according to the bill.
“When people pale to think that this was just money from recreation, and broke through the idea that it was about social justice and activism, this was our collective opportunity – all of us – to actually put words into action,” Sen said. Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), who was key in forging the compromise measure. “That’s how many of the principles were formulated in this clearance bill.”
While the reorganization bill received plenty of support in the Senate, some lawmakers kept their noses closed when they voted ‘yes’.
Republicans strongly objected to the bill, and New Jersey’s powerful Policemen’s Benevolent Association called it “anti-police.” Meanwhile, some of the state’s top black lawmakers, including chair of the legislative black caucus Ron Rice and Senator Nia Gill (both D-Essex), said the legislation did not go far enough to hold law enforcement accountable.
“We screwed up this process.” Senator Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said during Monday’s debate. “Before the legislation is even signed, we’ll do our first clearance bill.”
Still, on Monday, lawmakers and government officials expressed relief that New Jersey had finally put to rest the legislation Murphy had expected to sign within the first 100 days of his term more than three years ago.
While the work in the legislature is largely being done – Scutari said there is likely to be more reorganization legislation – it’s still several months away from New Jersey for the first legal sale of cannabis.
Certain provisions of the decriminalization bill took effect immediately – cold consolation to the thousands of New Jerseyans arrested for possession since the constitutional amendment passed Nov. 3 – but the legalization measure will take at least six months to implement, Murphy said Monday.
The newly formed Cannabis Regulatory Commission, tasked with overseeing both adult use markets and medical marijuana markets, is to develop rules that will dictate the distribution of dispensary and cultivation licenses.
The licensing comes with its own timeline, and while existing medical dispensaries can sell recreational products under the new law, they don’t have enough inventory to meet the needs of the state’s 100,000 registered patients.
Whatever economic boom New Jersey officials may expect from the first adult marketplace between Washington, DC and Boston is unlikely to materialize in the coming years. And even then, with lawmakers in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island launching their own bids to legalize recreational marijuana, the benefit that New Jersey would bring could be dampened.
“We’ve gone too far without any action and look, based on the numbers we have the opportunity to create jobs, we’ve lost income,” said Ed DeVeaux of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association late in an interview. last week, adding that a reported 6,000 People have been arrested for cannabis since New Jersey residents voted in November to legalize the drug. “We have continued to hurt people.”