2020 Cannabis Election FAQs – A new poll revealed that 68 percent of New Jersey voters support adult-use cannabis legalization, up quite a bit from an April poll which found only 61 percent in support.
Check out the full proposal for the upcoming New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Amendment here. Here are some FAQs about the upcoming amendment.
Q: What constitutes adult-use marijuana?
A: The proposal would amend the state constitution to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults age 21 and older. In addition, it would legalize the cultivation, processing, and sale of retail cannabis, taking effect on January 1, 2021.
Q: Would retail cannabis stores be licensed?
A: Yes, but the amendment specifics are very few and far between. It calls only for the state Cannabis Regulatory Committee (CRC) to establish and oversee the adult-use program’s rules and regulations. The CRC is the committee that currently regulates the state’s medical-marijuana program.
Q: Would recreational marijuana be taxed?
A: While the amendment prohibits specific marijuana excise taxes, the sale of adult-use cannabis would be dependent on the standard state sales tax of 6.625%. The state legislature may allow local governments to add another two percent sales tax.
Q: What Quick Facts Should I Know About the NJ Marijuana Legalization Amendment?
- More details are still forthcoming: On top of licensing procedures, the state Cannabis Regulatory Committee (CRC) and the state Legislature still must determine homegrown possession limits and other basic regulations.
- If the amendment does pass, New Jersey will become the first mid-Atlantic state to legalize adult-use cannabis.
- The new law would pave the way for an online portal allowing people with marijuana convictions (i.e., possession charges of up to 5 lbs.) to expedite expungements, and it would require pending possession charges to be dismissed or reduced.
- The amendment will set aside at least 25 percent of licenses for residents of “impact zones,” which are cities and towns home to more than 120,000 people, or communities with the highest rates of marijuana crimes, arrests, and unemployment in New Jersey.
- The amendment would prevent employers and landlords from discriminating against those who have marijuana convictions. It also allows residents to take legal action against any discrimination.
Q: What is the Current Marijuana Law in NJ?
A: In 2010, New Jersey passed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which legalized medical marijuana and set up regulations surrounding dispensaries. It was undermined by then-Governor Chris Christie, who has been an aggressive opponent of cannabis legalization from the start.
In 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act to improve the program in significant ways. Those reforms served to boost monthly limits from 2 oz. to 3 oz., legalized medical cannabis edibles for adult use, and eradicated the sales tax on cannabis medicine in a phased approach. There are now about 80,000 registered patients and 11 state-licensed dispensaries in the state of New Jersey.
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