NJ Marijuana Laws Are Full Of Flaws, Libertarian Party Says

NEW JERSEY — To be clear, the New Jersey Libertarian Party (NJLP) supports legalizing recreational marijuana, just as the overwhelming majority of voters did last November when they approved a landmark ballot question.

But the legalization laws that were finally signed last month by Gov. Phil Murphy fall woefully short of the lofty praises being sung by many elected officials, according to the third-largest political party in the state.

And New Jersey deserves better, they say.

On Tuesday, the NJLP released a scathing statement that blasted the state’s new cannabis laws, decrying them as a “fraud” on residents who truly support marijuana legalization. Read More: 5 Things You Need To Know About Marijuana Legalization In NJ

“[The laws] don’t completely remove the prohibition of the purchase, sale or cultivation of marijuana, nor offer amnesty to those previously arrested for non-violent use of this plant,” the NJLP argued, claiming that the effort was “nothing more than an election year ploy” for Gov. Murphy.

Read more about the NJLP’s objections below.

Here are the basics about the state's new laws:

• Adults 21 and over are allowed to consume cannabis on private property, although places like bars and restaurants can set their own rules. Similar to New Jersey's alcohol laws, it's still illegal to smoke or consume marijuana in a public place, such as a park or the beach.
• Underage use is prohibited, but results in a series of written warnings instead of fines and arrest.
• Cannabis has also been decriminalized in New Jersey. You can possess up to six ounces of marijuana or 17 grams of hashish without penalty.
• It's legal to buy up to an ounce of cannabis at a licensed dispensary (see below). New Jersey residents can't grow marijuana at home.
• People accused of illegally selling less than an ounce are issued a written warning for their first offense, and can be charged with a fourth-degree crime for each following incident – but they can't be arrested.

The new laws have gained enthusiastic support from many elected officials, including Murphy, who called them “a monumental step forward.” But according to the NJLP, the state’s new laws are full of problems.

The party’s objections include:

• New Jersey residents aren’t allowed to sell cannabis or grow it at home
• The laws make it harder for small businesses to compete in the legal cannabis marketplace
• The laws add a “a draconian tax” to cannabis, which will further drive the black market

The NJLP also took issue with the state’s new policy of not allowing police to tell parents that their kids have been caught with marijuana – until their second offense.

“Regardless of a juvenile's actions, it is the right of a parent to know when their child has had an interaction with any adult, regardless of said adult's ‘authority,’” the NJLP argued. “It should be at the parent's discretion how to proceed.”

“The NJLP calls for a clean bill that legalizes marijuana for purchase, sale, private cultivation and use as well as the immediate releases all non-violent marijuana inmates and their records related to cannabis expunged,” party leaders said.

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