Locally Speaking

Time To Legalize Marijuana

Grab that jumbo bag of M&M’s and fire up the bong: A majority of Americans now support legalizing marijuana, the first time public opinion has swung that way in more than 40 years of pot polling.

And the increase in support is reflected among all demographic and political groups, according to the Pew Research Center: Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, Democrats, Republicans, blacks and whites.

“The long-term shift in favor of legalizing marijuana has accelerated in the past three years. About half (52 percent) of adults today support legalizing the use of marijuana, up from 41 percent in 2010,” the Pew report stated.

These numbers should reignite a conversation about current pot laws. With all the foot-dragging on its medical uses, this could be the sensible solution: Decriminalize small amounts (for starters), and get the state out of regulating the medical marijuana business.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) thinks that’s the way to go. Today, if you’re caught in New Jersey with one joint, you can get up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine and have your driver’s license suspended for six months. You’ll also be on the hook for hundreds of dollars in penalties — with a criminal record that follows you forever.

Gusciora introduced a bill last year decriminalizing a half-ounce of marijuana, making the offense the equivalent of a parking violation. A first offense would draw a $150 fine, a second offense a $200 fine, and a third $500. Violators under 21 caught with marijuana or adults busted three times would have to attend a drug education program.

Gusciora’s bill passed the Assembly but got stuck in the Senate, where Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) introduced a more lenient measure, increasing the legal amount of pot to 2 ounces. Scutari says he’s open-minded and would consider Gusciora’s version.

That’s good to hear.

Law enforcement officials dislike using precious resources on this kind of petty crime, said Gusciora, who saw pot cases clogging the courts when he was a municipal prosecutor in Trenton. He still sees it today as prosecutor in Prince­ton and Lawrenceville.

“We need to move on,” he said. It’s time. –Nj/April 8, 2013

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New Jersey Is America's 49th Freest State, Study Finds

Help, help! We’re being oppressed!

Might as well be New Jersey’s state motto. At least, according to the authors of a study that compared individual freedoms available to residents of each of the 50 states – and ranked New Jersey next to last.

Published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University this spring, a right-leaning think tank, the report found only New York surpassed New Jersey in terms of government intervention.

Other states in the least-free five: California, Hawaii and Massachusetts. New Hampshire and South Dakota topped the list for the freest states, followed by Indiana, Idaho and Missouri.

Of course, free sounds great. But just why did New Jersey get such black marks?

Unsurprisingly, given the think tank's philosophical orientation, the study counted New Jersey’s high property taxes and education spending as two big strikes against personal freedom.

But our other big offenses? These included mandatory helmet laws, primary seatbelt enforcement, the ban on cell phone use while driving, the prohibition against fireworks and sobriety checkpoints.

Sure, one could argue that a cell phone ban restricts a driver’s personal freedom to make a call. But if that same driver hits a pedestrian while dialing, there’s a strong case to be made that the victim’s rights have been infringed on, too.

In a YouTube video accompanying the online presentation of the report, the authors suggest readers use their findings to vote with their feet, moving to states where they might find greater liberty.

For those of you craving the ability to drive drunk without fear of a sobriety check point, or to speed dial your way from Jersey City to Vineland without an eye peeled for flashing lights: by all means, take their advice. –Nj/September 18, 2011