New Jersey Senator Announces Legislation to Legalize Cannabis
Support for legalization has been mounting in New Jersey, and according to lawmakers, legislation is forthcoming. State Senator Nicholas Scutari, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has announced 
plans to introduce a measure to legalize, tax and regulate recreational cannabis in N.J. within the next month.
Senator Scutari says the measure “will provide us with a tremendous cost savings and time savings for our law enforcement officers”. “It’ll save our citizens from the unnecessary multiple court appearance and criminal record and it’ll provide us with much needed tax revenue.”
The senator has made it adamantly clear that the bill will be for full legalization, and not just decriminalization; “All that does is, to some degree, free people to obtain the marijuana, but it’s still going to be manufactured and dealt illegally. And that’s absolutely the wrong direction that we should go in,” he explains. “We should be trying to get drug dealers and criminals off our street corners and this is an effort for doing that.”
“We’re not delusional about how simple the effort would be,” Scutari says. “But I think from a standpoint of moving this state and this country forward on its archaic drug laws, I think it’s a step in the right direction. It’s high time that we address this issue head on.”
State Senate President Stephen Sweeney recently expressed his support for legalizing recreational cannabis in New Jersey, commending Senator Scutari for having “the courage to talk about marijuana.” “I’m open to listening to Nick Scutari’s suggestions on this,” said Sweeney, who feels this legislation is “positioning New Jersey” for future reform.
– TheJointBlog
Jim Geesman
Better late than never. The public is becoming educated on what a fiasco this prohibition has been and the politicians are finally beginning to react. The degree of distrust in the government has grown to a disturbing level, and why not? They’ve lied to us about this plant for at least all of our lives. Enough is enough. It’s time to right this ship.
George Barrett
And the dominos fall finally
Rachael
Please legalize and decrinalize the use of marjiuana!! I’m not a criminal! These charges I have against me are seriously complete bullshit! I didn’t even have a gram on me! The people of New Jersey should be ashamed! How pathetic it is to punish me of all people when there are so many real criminals that should be getting caught and put behind bars when I deserve none of it. Where is humanity because I surely don’t see it. They have made my life a complete hell. I should only be getting fines, no up to a $1000 fine and up to 6 months in jail this is completely wrong in many ways. I could go on for days about this so please in the name of all of the people who are in the same situation as I and whom do not deserve one ounce of this cruelness, please atleast decrinalize it and I’ll be forever greatful!