On Election Day, the state of New Jersey overwhelmingly voted “yes” on Public Question 1. This public question sought to legalize the possession and use of marijuana for persons age 21 and older, and legalize the cultivation, processing, and sale of retail marijuana.
We at the North New Jersey Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America initially viewed this a victory. It seemed this would provide relief for communities that have historically been targeted by cannabis criminalization by having one less aspect in which they engage with the police.
It took no time at all for NJ State Senators Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) to cook up a bill in which most of the tax revenue from cannabis sales would go toward subsidizing police training.
Knowing that this would be wildly unpopular, these senators made sure that the public had only three hours on a Friday night to contest this before sending the bill to a vote. Thanks to the work of activists, the vote has been postponed and we have time to fight it.
We find this bill and these actions to be abhorrent.
Following a summer in which there was a historic call to defund the police, it is unthinkable that our local politicians would have the gall to actually put forward a bill that would provide those same police with more funding.
We demand that the subsidies from the sales of marijuana, in the state of New Jersey, fund communities that have been ravaged by the war on drugs to fund initiatives like:
- public and behavioral health
- job training
- legal aid for civil and criminal cases
- health education programs
- housing assistance
- food assistance
- healthcare services
- youth recreation
- violence prevention
- poverty mitigation
- RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS
- mentoring
- literacy programs
…AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!
North New Jersey Chapter of DSA is exponentially growing by the day, and we hope you will join us in fighting for a just bill.
You can help us by contacting your two assembly people and your senator by phone, email, Twitter, or anyway possible.
To enable , we will be hosting call-in day trainings on:
Friday, December 4th 7-9pm
Register for zoom link:
Sunday, December 6th, 2-4pm
Register for Zoom link:
This task can’t be conquered individually. It is in moments like these that we must UNITE! For through comradery, we achieve economic justice for all.
In Solidarity,
North New Jersey DSA!