Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Asbury Park Resolution to Legalize Marijuana for Adults in New Jersey

City of Asbury Park
County of Monmouth
State of New Jersey

IN SUPPORT OF LEGALIZING, TAXING AND REGULATING MARIJUANA FOR ADULTS.

WHEREAS, New Jersey law currently makes possession by adults of small amounts of marijuana illegal; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City of Asbury Park (the “City”), someone is arrested for marijuana possession in the State of New Jersey (the “State”) every 24 minutes, totaling more than 21,000 possession arrests each year; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, the State spent over an estimated one billion dollars in the last decade on enforcement of marijuana possession laws; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City believe that the existing laws concerning small amounts of marijuana waste the enforcement resources of police, prosecutors and courts that could be better spent on keeping the City safe from serious crime; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, minorities in the State are nearly three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than Caucasians, despite similar rates of marijuana use; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, an arrest for a single marijuana cigarette in the State can lead to up to six months in jail, loss of a job, a driver’s license suspension, up to $1,225 in fees and fines, immigration consequences, loss of student financial aid, and eviction; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, despite the prohibition of marijuana and the approximately 800,000 marijuana possession arrests that occur in the United States each year, federal government data estimates that 111 million Americans have tried marijuana and more than 30 million Americans use marijuana each year; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, in 2014 the New Jersey State Municipal Prosecutors Association, whose members are primarily responsible for prosecuting marijuana possession arrests, voted to publicly support the legalization of marijuana, subject to reasonable regulations; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, the editorial boards of the New York Times, Star-Ledger, Times of Trenton, and Daily Targum have endorsed the legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana; and

WHEREAS, based upon information available to the City, the State could potentially receive hundreds of millions of dollars per year in new revenue from the taxation of regulated marijuana sales; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City believe that tax revenue can be used to reinvest in our communities, schools, drug prevention and education programs, re-entry and job training programs and in programs to strengthen community-police relations; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City believe that regulating marijuana in a State-controlled system will limit access to marijuana to adults aged 21 and over in licensed locations; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City believe that regulation will ensure strict controls over marijuana advertising, labeling, and quality, preventing access to youth and controlling quality and potency; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City recognize that driving under the influence of marijuana will remain illegal in the State, and regulating marijuana will not change that; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City are aware that marijuana has been legalized, taxed, and regulated in the States of Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon, as well as in Washington D.C.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the City of Asbury Park, in the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, as follows:

1. That the Mayor and Council of the City hereby support fair and effective criminal justice and drug policies; and

2. That the Mayor and Council of the City hereby urge the New Jersey State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults; and

3. That a certified copy of this Resolution shall be provided to each of the following:

a. Members of the New Jersey General Assembly;
b. Members of the New Jersey State Senate;
c. Office of the Governor;
d. Anthony Nuccio, Acting City Manager;
e. Deputy Police Chief Anthony Salerno;
f. Frederick C. Raffetto, Esq., Municipal Attorney.

I, CINDY A. DYE, City Clerk of the City of Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey, DO HEREBY CERTIFY the foregoing to be a true and exact copy of RESOLUTION NO. 2015-XX, which was finally adopted by the City Council at a meeting held on the 8th day of July, 2015.

CERTIFIED BY ME THIS _______ DAY OF _____________, 2015.

______________________________
CINDY A. DYE
CITY CLERK

Record of Council Vote on Final Passage
COUNCIL PERSON AYE NAY N.V
Mayor John Moor
Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn
Council Member Yvonne Clayton
Council Member Jesse Kendle
Council Member Joe Woerner

Indicates vote N.V.- Not Voting Abstain

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

CMMNJ Monthly Meeting Agenda for 10/13/15


Monthly Public Meeting Agenda 
Lawrence Township Library, Room #3
Tuesday, October 13, 2015, 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM 

Approve September 2015 minutes.  Discuss:

50,000 multicolored hemp wristbands/necklaces from Romania were donated to CMMNJ. Suggested retail price: $3/apiece; 2 for $5.  Wholesale prices are available.

A4587—Requires schools to permit medical marijuana use by qualifying patients.  Passed Legislature on 6/29; awaits action by Gov. Christie. Barbour lawsuits continue. CMMNJ will poll officials running for office for their opinion on marijuana reform.

"CMMNJ TV” taping 9/29 with Jon Peditto and FIJA. Reschedule Spanish episode to 10/27? 

Thursday Statehouse Podcasts: see Facebook “Friends of CMMNJ” or Sativa Cross for details. “Magic Butter Machine” raffled off monthly on the podcast--retail value $175 - $200.

Upcoming Events: 
Trial of Jon Peditto, Toms River; jury nullification trial 10/19/15.
NJ Cannabis Freedom Rally, 10/17/15 at 1 pm, Trenton, with East Coast Cannabis Coalition.
2015 Reform Conference, 11/18-21/15, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.

Recent events: 
Boston Freedom Rally 9/26 & 9/27.
"Higher Ground @ Asbury Spark" on 9/11-13, Asbury Park, with Roland Ramos.
Septemberfest on 9/13, 10 am to 5 pm in Hamilton Twp’s. Veterans Park.
PicklePalooza 9/19, Island Beach State Park.
Burlington Co. Library, Volunteer event, 9/19/15. 

Treasury report: Checking: $3110; PayPal: $3801. 

CMMNJ's meetings are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., 08648. All are welcome.  (Meeting at the library does not imply Mercer County’s endorsement of our issue.) 

More info:  Ken Wolski, RN, (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org  

CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is a non-profit educational organization.



Monthly Public Meeting Minutes 
September 8, 2015 

About 50,000 all hemp wristbands/necklaces were donated to CMMNJ.  The multicolored wristbands were rolled in Romania. Suggested retail price: $3/apiece; 2 for $5. Wholesale prices available for Sierra Club?  Green Party?  Hemp groups?  E-bay?

NJLP effort to make marijuana the lowest L.E. priority in New Brunswick & Trenton.
Asbury Park Resolution to be presented to Voorhees and Camden Co. Freeholders.
CMMNJ will poll officials who are running for office to get their opinion on marijuana reform.

A4587—Requires schools to permit medical marijuana use by qualifying patients.  Passed the Legislature on 6/29; awaits action by Gov. Christie. No action expected before November Assembly caucus. Barbour lawsuit against LARC School & Maple Shade BOE continues.
Jim M. to respond to Sen. Cardinale’s “slippery slope” argument re: Barbours.

Bergen Record’s Mike Karras is looking for vets with PTSD.

“CMMNJ TV”—taping 8/18: Next taping: Sept. 29, 2015, noon to 4 pm—all Spanish episode planned with Vanessa Maria, Jim Price, Ricky Rivera & Hispanic Parents for Pot. Jon Peditto?
Weekly Statehouse Podcasts see Facebook “Friends of CMMNJ” or Sativa Cross for details. “Magic Butter Machine” raffled off monthly on the podcast--retail value $175 - $200

Upcoming Events: 
NJWeedman’s event, Sat., 9/5/15, and March for Ganja, 9/4/15, Trenton.
"Higher Ground @ Asbury Spark" on 9/11-13, Asbury Park, with Roland Ramos.
Septemberfest: on 9/13, 10 am to 5 pm in Hamilton Twp’s. Veterans Park.
PicklePalooza, 9/19, Island Beach State Park.
Burlington Co. Library, Volunteer event, 9/19/15. 
Boston Freedom Rally 9/26 (noon to 8) & 9/27 (noon to 6).
NJ Cannabis Freedom Rally, 10/17/15 at 1 pm, Trenton, with East Coast Cannabis Coalition.
2015 Reform Conference, 11/18-21, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.
Trial of Jon Peditto, Toms River; jury selection 10/19/15; jury nullification trial 10/20/15.

Treasury report: Checking: $3432; PayPal: $3782. 

More info:  Ken Wolski, RN, (609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com http://www.cmmnj.org  


Recent Media Coverage and Blogs:



The truth about marijuana | Opinion

Philly420: Pa., N.J. dither as other East Coast states move to legalize

Review: ‘Stoned: A Doctor’s Case for Medical Marijuana’

NJ man's arrest upheld despite medical marijuana law

N.J. judge: Mother can't bring medical marijuana to her child at school

Medical marijuana: NJ girl denied home-brewed weed juice in school

Parents Threatened with Arrest for Treating Daughter’s Epilepsy with Legal Cannabis Oil at School

Fact checking Christie in second GOP presidential debate

NJ Weedman’s Passing the Joint: Constant lies about marijuana

Fact Check: Christie’s claim that he supported medical marijuana laws

N.J. inspectors find pesticides at medical marijuana dispensary

Wiley: One Family's Journey Into the Promise of Cannabis Medicine

Medical Marijuana Helps. Now, How to Pay for It?

Dozens signed up for N.J. medical marijuana dispensary opening Monday

As legal marijuana businesses grow, government should wise up and start collecting green | Opinion

CMMNJ TV: Jon Peditto

Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong | Johann Hari | TED Talks

20-year sentence for NJ man convicted of growing marijuana

CBD Legislative Update: Federal Developments

I Used To Be An Alcoholic. Now I’m A Stoner Who Has A Drink Sometimes

"Fully Baked Radio", "Ignorance Is No Excuse"

Below are the grounds (the New Jersey Libertarian Party ) cite in the petition for this project (to make marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority in New Brunswick):

a) New Brunswick taxpayers, like other taxpayers in New Jersey, are immensely burdened by the substantial economic costs of investigating, arresting, prosecuting and jailing people for minor charges involving marijuana;
 b) Every arrest for simple marijuana possession in New Brunswick squanders valuable police resources that could otherwise be used to combat and prevent violent and serious crime;
 c) Americans were subjected to more than 693,000 arrests for marijuana-related offenses in 2013 and 87% of those arrests were for simple possession 
d) In Middlesex County, African-Americans are 3.3 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than Caucasians despite comparable usage rates
 e) In 2010, New Jersey spent $127,343,512 enforcing marijuana possession laws and marijuana possession offenses accounted for 43.4% of all drug arrests
 f) Decades of the aggressive arresting of millions for minor marijuana offenses has completely failed to affect marijuana use or reduce its availability, yet has cost taxpayers dearly;
 g) Our current economic climate mandates that taxpayer dollars are not further wasted on failed marijuana policies and inefficient application; 
Finally, although I am the Chair of the New Jersey Libertarian Party it is very important to me that this is a non-partisan project. I hope to have members of all parties as well as independents participate.

Thank you very much, I look forward to working with you on this project!

Patrick McKnight
Chair, New Jersey Libertarian Party
609-915-7200