The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing on a bill aimed at recriminalizing the purchase, sale and possession of unlicensed marijuana. Heady NJ covered the hearing in the article “Recriminalizing MJ Possession and Underground Legacy Crackdown NJ Senate Hearing Held.” Committee members debated both sides of the proposed bill. NJ Senate President Nick Scutari emphasized the looming collapse of the cannabis market if the price disparity between the underground market and legal dispensaries continues. Senator Scutari exclaimed at the hearing, “It is time for us to put in writing that you cannot buy illegal products. You can’t sell it. You can’t do it without a license.” Opposingly, Senator Troy Singleton explained, “We’ve literally taken the free enterprise system out of the regulated market because we’ve limited the amount of competition to a large measure.” He emphasized that the collapse of the legal cannabis market may come from within due to the high pricing practices around the corporate aspect of the industry.

Bill Caruso provided insight into the debate adding, “Our problem isn’t the legacy market. It is the problem of the regulation of storefronts that should not exist.” Bill stressed concerns about the growing number of shops that sell unregulated and harmful intoxicating hemp. A bill has been passed banning the sale of this intoxicating hemp. However, Bill states “That law is still not being implemented today,” as there is no clear guidance on shutting these businesses down.

While arguing for regulation, Bill believes that reverting to previous punishments is not the right path saying, “I don’t think we need to go backward in terms of recriminalizing, particularly consumers.” He suggested that confiscation and fines without arrests would be an effective way to crack down.

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