WHEREAS Phil Murphy has been elected by a margin of 14% after running with cannabis legalization as a central plank of his platform;

WHEREAS Phil Murphy has during his campaign pledged to fast track cannabis legalization with a possible bill passage as early as April 2018

WHEREAS According to reports on the process and the nature of the bill being presented:

A.      Sale of legal cannabis could be delayed until 2019

B.      Reportedly the said bill to be introduced will exclude provisions for cultivation for personal use

C.      The said bill is likely to set up a monopoly with a small number of companies controlling the NJ industry.

D.      The licensing for growing and distribution is expected to be a difficult and centrally controlled process resulting in difficulty for wide access to said licensing resulting in political influence in the licensing process.

WHEREAS It has been reported that NJ is one of 16 states that have been increasing the number of arrests for cannabis law violation allegations.

WHEREAS A Black man or woman in NJ is 3 times as likely to be arrested for cannabis possession as a white in NJ according to a recent ACLU report

WHEREAS NJ expends about $127 Million per year on cannabis law enforcement

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That there be a moratorium on cannabis law enforcement throughout the state of NJ effective on January 16, the date of Phil Murphy’s inauguration as the next Governor of NJ

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the governor’s office communicate to all NJ jurisdictions to stand down in enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That all pending charges for alleged cannabis prohibition law violations be dismissed, all assessed fines be dismissed and all sentencing to treatment or incarceration be dismissed by NJ judicial jurisdictions and NJ local, county and state prosecutors

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That all being held pending trial for cannabis law violations be released with a complete dismissal of charges

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That those serving prison sentences for cannabis prohibition law enforcement receive sentencing relief and have their sentences reduced to time served.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That there be companion legislation also fast tracked to immediately implement cannabis decriminalization, that said decriminalization include retroactive dismissal of charges, assessed fines, incarceration and treatment sentences and that all records of convictions for cannabis prohibition law enforcement be automatically expunged with no action required by the victims of these unjust prohibition laws;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the planned law legalize cannabis include:

A.      A provision for legal cultivation for personal use

B.      A provision for mandating decentralized licensing that allows for a competitive market and a sharing of business opportunities for growing and distribution to all sectors of NJ community

C.      That funding be included to provide access for cannabis start ups for those who are not already wealthy

D.      That the law be structured mandating that growth and distribution centers be located geographically in communities throughout NJ, guaranteeing access to business opportunities in those communities like Newark, Trenton, Camden and many others beset by extreme poverty and in need of economic opportunities and that work sites offer fairness to labor organizing.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That those signing this petition are pledged to participate in across the board struggle to assure every aspect of these measures including writing, lobbying and possible street protests against continuing prosecution per today's unjust cannabis prohibition laws

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That this petition will be delivered by a committee of advocates of ending cannabis prohibition enforcement to Governor Murphy.
 
This demand is a a project of Decarcerate the Garden State
call or text 908-881-5275 / email: bwitanek@igc.org
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DecarcerateNJ/
https://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/
http://decarceratenj.org/

Petition demand endorsed by:
Green Party of NJ http://www.gpnj.org
GPNJ Black Caucus http://greenisthenewblackgpnjbc.blogspot.com