For Immediate Release
Nov. 3, 2020

Today, New Jerseyans voted to legalize cannabis for adult use, ending marijuana prohibition in New Jersey. In the coming weeks, lawmakers must pass legislation to implement cannabis legalization and decriminalization.

The following statement can be attributed to ACLU-NJ Campaign Strategist, Ami Kachalia, on behalf of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform (NJUMR):

“Today, New Jerseyans voted overwhelmingly to legalize cannabis for adult use. This is a vital first step for shifting away from punitive cannabis prohibition and toward a regulated market that prioritizes racial and social justice.

“Now, we call on New Jersey legislators and the Governor to implement the vision of cannabis legalization that voters have pushed forward – one that begins to repair the harms of marijuana prohibition and creates an accessible and inclusive new cannabis industry. In determining the details of implementation, lawmakers must include expungement, community reinvestment, and meaningful opportunities for those most harmed by unjust enforcement of marijuana laws to enter into the industry.

“Legislators must pass a robust decriminalization bill to protect residents in the lead-up to full implementation of legalization, which will likely take months to put into place. New Jersey must stop the cannabis-related arrests that take place, on average, every fifteen minutes in our state. After decades of prohibition, the voters have made clear that it is time to end unjust and unnecessary cannabis-related arrests.”

New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform (NJUMR), a partnership of civil rights, public safety, medical, faith, and political organizations and individuals committed to ensuring that cannabis legalization in New Jersey is centered in racial and social justice. Member organizations include: NAACP NJ State Conference, Latino Action Network, Salvation and Social Justice, ACLU-NJ, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, Garden State NORML, NORML, and Law Enforcement Action Partnership.