Senator To Hold Hearings on Marijuana Legalization
TRENTON – Senator Ronald L. Rice, who serves as chair of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, today issued the following statement on the proposal to legalize marijuana in New Jersey:
“We need to slow down the process of legalizing marijuana in New Jersey and, before we go forward with making it law, drill down on the facts.
“As chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, I plan to convene hearings at various locations around the state to make sure that we really delve into the details of this issue. We know there are negative factors that we will need to safeguard against, from children’s access to marijuana-infused edibles to motor vehicle accidents caused by impaired driving to the effect of marijuana on babies and the impact of legalization on communities of color.
“We also need to have a better understanding of what the legal sale of marijuana would look like in our state, including where it would be sold and grown. We need to look closely at the results of marijuana legalization in other states and at the research that has been conducted since.
“I look forward to working with the members of the Legislative Black Caucus, with community groups and with many others as we examine this issue. The bottom line is that as we proceed, we must do so with caution.”