After Not Wavering, Christie's Successor Likely To Decide Fate of Marijuana in New Jersey
"I'm not changing my mind on that,'' Christie, a longtime opponent of legalization, said last week.
By Michael Catalini ••
New Jersey lawmakers' effort to legalize marijuana has failed to convince Gov. Chris Christie to get behind the change, meaning it will be on the state's next governor to decide the issue.
Christie ridiculed a hearing last week in the Democrat-led Senate on new legislation making its way through the statehouse to legalize marijuana as a "dog-and-pony show.''
"I'm not changing my mind on that,'' said Christie, a longtime opponent of legalizing marijuana.
New Jersey voters go to the polls Nov. 7 to pick the term-limited Republican's successor and a major issue that the Democrat-led Legislature is punting to the next governor will be marijuana legalization.
Democratic nominee Phil Murphy has come out in favor of legalization, highlighting in particular the potential for up to $300 million in new revenue from taxes on marijuana sales.
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the GOP nominee, isn't as definitive in stating her position. She says she thinks that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' opposition to loosening marijuana laws is a problem for legalization.
Christie's opposition finds him at odds with lawmakers and advocates who he has turned to for support against the opioid crisis.
The New Jersey Drug Policy Alliance, for example, has praised the governor over his support for legislation expanding the use of naloxone to help reverse overdoses. But the same group is also leading the charge for pot legalization, testifying in support of the effort and calling for assurances that those with marijuana arrest and prosecution records are not barred from participating in a potential new cannabis market.
The group's state director, Roseanne Scotti, says the difference amounts to a policy disagreement, which doesn't affect collaboration on areas where they agree.
"It's not awkward,'' she said. "It's like any other relationship with elected officials. Sometimes you agree, sometimes you disagree.''
Christie has reversed himself before on drug-related legislation. In 2013, he vetoed a bill to relax possible criminal violations against those who call law enforcement to report an overdose, but then he later signed the legislation as part of a bigger bill expanding the availability of naloxone.
But such a change doesn't look likely on marijuana legalization.
A key difference between Christie and supporters of legalization is whether marijuana is a gateway to other drug use. Advocates say it isn't; Christie disagrees.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that findings on the question are consistent with the idea that the drug is a gateway, but it says that a majority of people who use the drug do not go on to "harder'' substances.
As far as the prospects for the legislation go, Christie's view is hard to overcome.
"The governor seems to be convinced that kids who smoke marijuana today are more likely to be on opioids tomorrow,'' said Seton Hall political science professor Matthew Hale. "That is a debated point but one he has been constant on. For the governor, marijuana is a gateway drug.''
The legislation under consideration would permit possession of up to 1 ounce (28.35 grams) of marijuana, 16 ounces (453.58 grams) of marijuana-infused products in solids, 72 ounces (2,041 grams) in liquid form and 7 grams of concentrate. It would prohibit home cultivation.
The legislation would also establish a Division of Marijuana Enforcement, charged with regulating the industry, and set up a sales tax on marijuana from 7 percent to 25 percent over five years to encourage early participation.
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AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - FEBRUARY 07: A cannabis plant grows in the Amsterdam Cannabis College, a non profit charitable organisation that gives information on cannabis and hemp use on February 7, 2007 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city council in Amsterdam has recently voted in favour of introducing a citywide ban on smoking marijuana in public areas. A successful trial ban in the De Baarsjes district of Amsterdam has been declared a success after a reduction in anti social behaviour. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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A tall flowering plant indigenous to tropical and temperate climates. Popular varieties of the plant are cannabis sativa and cannabis indica, both of which contain psychoactive properties that produce euphoria. The cannabis plant can be used for marijuana or hemp. It can be grown outdoors, indoors or using hydroponic technology.
Marijuana refers to the dried, crushed flower tops and leaves of the cannabis plant that can be smoked, baked or turned into other digestible forms to produce a high.
NBC 5 News
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is a chemical compound found in cannabis that creates the high often associated with marijuana. Scientifically speaking, THC is a cannabinoid, naturally occurring compounds that interact with receptors in the brain to create said high. Researchers throughout the world are still working to understand how many cannabinoids exist, but theories range from the dozens to possibly hundreds.
Kathy Young/AP
Cannabidiol is the sister compound to THC and does not contain psychoactive properties. In other words, it does not get people high. Instead, CBD can be turned into medicine to treat chronic pain, symptoms associated with cancer, epilepsy and a host of other conditions. Epidiolex, pictured here, is used in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a debilitating form of early onset childhood epilepsy.
Alicia Lozano
Hemp is a member of the cannabis sativa family that does not produce euphoria. Instead, the plant has historically been used in farming, manufacturing and cooking. It was considered a lucrative cash crop when the country was first founded.
AP
No longer a fringe concept, medical marijuana is now legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Pennsylvania's program will debut early in 2018, but Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and New York already have laws on the books. In Pennsylvania, only patients with qualifying conditions will be eligible for acquire their medicine. It cannot be in plant form.
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Adult use recreational marijuana is now legal in eight states — Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts — and the District of Columbia. Delaware and New Jersey are both weighing upgrading their medical programs to include recreational use for adults over the age of 21.
San Francisco Department of Health via AP
Cannabis can be used as an ingredient in edible treats, like these gummy rings. They can either contain THC to get people high or CBD to treat medical conditions. Dispensaries usually offer both, but it's imperative that patients ask about THC levels before buying an unfamiliar product. Edibles will be available to qualifying patients in Pennsylvania's new medical marijuana program.
AP/David Goldman
Cannabis oil, either THC or CBD-based, is another popular form of ingesting medicinal marijuana. It can be administered directly to the mouth or added to food.
AP
Similar to oil, tinctures come in liquid form and can be added to food or ingested directly. Tinctures are made from cannabis extract diluted with small amounts of alcohol. They can also be made using glycerin and water instead of alcohol.
