February 23, 2021 John,
Yesterday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed three bills into law realizing a voter-approved effort to end cannabis prohibition in the Garden State. This victory was only realized through tremendous public pressure. As a fellow New Jerseyan, I want to thank you for your hard work and support!
NORML has been working for decades in New Jersey to stop marijuana arrests and bring forth a licensed retail market. We put in long hours advocating for medical access from 1998-2010. We were also among the first groups to push for decriminalization legislation, which initially passed on the Assembly floor vote in 2012. But the entire time, we kept our focus on one day achieving full legalization. NORML volunteers have participated in demonstrations, testified before numerous legislative committees, and contacted scores of elected officials over the past years and when the New Jersey cannabis ballot referendum was launched in 2019, the network at NORML went into full action. As a result, we saw 67% approval on Election Day, a landslide by any margin. In fact, retail cannabis earned more votes than any single politician in state history.
But, because of our constitutional rules, we still had to go back to Trenton. Since November, supporters like you have followed up with politicians by sending thousands of emails that helped shape the final legislation.
S2535/A1897 provides justice for cannabis consumers by decriminalizing 6 ounces, removing marijuana odor as grounds for search, and creating a process to start clearing records. S21 is the structure for retail cannabis sales that has 37 large-scale permits, micro-permits for small businesses, and some progressive language on allowing home delivery. S3454 was the final bill passed as a companion or "cleanup" bill and outlined a series of warnings for those under 21 if they are caught with cannabis.
That means while New Jersey works towards an equitable cannabis industry, we're also moving forward with the one of most progressive decriminalization policies in the nation, one that applies to all ages.
It's been a tough journey, and your support has brought us this far. We're excited to see the nearly 100 marijuana-related arrests per day come to a full stop, and criminal records begin to be cleared. Now, we're ready to fight for cannabis consumer rights, the establishment of a truly inclusive industry, and access to home cultivation.
I’d like to thank you again for your past support and I’d like to ask today for you to continue this journey with us as we move toward a better future!
Thanks for all you do,
Chris Goldstein
New Jersey NORML Organizer
P.S. Our efforts are supported by thousands of people throughout the country as we work to advance marijuana law reform in all 50 states and the federal level. Can you kick in $5
, $10
or $20
a month to help NORML keep fighting for your freedom?
