Legal Weed Already Facing Backlash in New Jersey

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

If all goes according to plan, legal recreational marijuana will soon be growing in the Garden State. This week, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is reportedly meeting with lawmakers to began hashing out the remaining sticking points of the “New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act,” a bill which passed the State assembly and senate committees in late November. Once amended, the bill is expected to pass a full legislative vote before being signed into law later this year. While a recent Rutgers University poll found 60 percent support for legalization, dozens of local officials aren’t so high on the idea. A coalition of mayors, council members and law enforcement from 45 New Jersey towns have preemptively banned marijuana dispensaries.

The coalition is backed by the Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy, the most powerful anti-marijuana lobbying group in the country, which has targeted local officials with factsheets touting the negative effects of marijuana legalization in states like Colorado.

“If you legalize recreational marijuana, you will see homelessness go up, you will see people losing their jobs, you will see more ‘drugged driving,’ you will see more accidents, and more deaths,” Stephen Reid, executive director of NJ RAMP, told WNYC.

One example cited by RAMP is an 151 percent increased in marijuana-related traffic fatalities in Colorado since 2013. The ACLU has disputed that statistic, saying there is not enough data to determine causality, and pointing out that marijuana’s psychoactive component, THC, stays in the bloodstream for up to 30 days.

Ringwood Police Chief Joe Walker told WNYC that he’s opposed to legal recreational marijuana because he believes it’s a gateway drug that will worsen the opioid crisis.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/legal-weed-new-jersey-backlash-775860/

Oh FFS

[UniteFightBack]

1. It's a gateway drug but alcohol isn't? Alcohol ruins lives and families....PERIOD. nt

[Mariana]

5. A lot of people still like to pretend

that alcohol is not really a drug, that it isn't really addictive, that alcoholics aren't really drug addicts, that people don't overdose on it, or die from withdrawal, etc. etc. etc.

It's all very convenient for people who like to drink, isn't it?

[Cracklin Charlie]

14. You can fill your giant pick up truck to the brim with alcohol and drive away.

And go to jail for a mostly burned up joint found anywhere near you, yours or not.

Makes no sense.

[pecosbob]

2. Let local jurisdictions ban it if they want

then distribute the tax revenue to only the jurisdictions that allow it's use. You don't want to allow it then don't benefit from it. It's shown to be a gold mine everywhere it's passed.

[marble falls]

3. Milk is the ultimate gateway drug. Almost 100% of heroin used started out on cow juice.

[spanone]

4. reefer madness

[Azathoth]

6. I can't believe we're still talking about "gateway drugs"

Christ, it's like talking about same-sex marriage being a "gateway" to bestiality.

[underpants]

7. growing - hashing out - sticking - aren't so high

Well done Amelia McDonnell-Parry

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. The true gateway drug is nicotine.

Smokers really hate to hear that.

And no, I'm not suggesting all smokers wind up as addicts.

[Phoenix61]

12. Completely agree but it's not about nicotine

it's about which children are smoking cigarettes. That group is much more likely to experiment with drugs/alcohol. Drugs are usually easier to get. Your local dealer doesn't card.

[obamanut2012]

9. Legal MJ actually lessens opiod abuse

Ringwood COP is a moran.

[Blue_true]

13. I think that is what Massachusetts saw. nt

[obamanut2012]

15. Yes, and so has CO and FL

Though FL has all these "sober houses" and rehab places where folks come from here and other states, so there are still issues, but it is better.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

10. The governor and lawmakers are "to begin hashing out" sticking points.

Clever writing. There were lots of other ways to phrase that.

[roamer65]

11. This shows the power of ballot proposals.

Michigan’s Repuke legislature played games with the MJ legalization groups, so they made good on their threat to bring it to ballot...and shazam...the groups got what they wanted.

Now the MI Repukes are all butt hurt. Fuck them.