The detrimental effect marijuana will have in the Garden State is undeniable. The question then becomes – what is the benefit of legalized weed? The black market does not diminish –illegal grow operations have increased in states that have legalized. The criminal justice system is not reformed – in contrast, marijuana arrests for young African American and Hispanic youth have increased in Colorado since legalization.
Do not allow self-interested drug advocates to pretend pot is safe for consumption either. The 2% THC levels of the Baby Boomer coming of age era, has been replaced with edibles containing ten times the legal limit for THC in Colorado. Potency rates of up to 95% have been recorded. This higher content of THC can increase anxiety, depression, and drastically diminish the mental health of the user.
On August 29, 2019, the U.S. Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, released a timely public awareness advisory message on the dangers of marijuana – particularly for youth. “The marijuana of today is fundamentally different than in decades past or even just a few years ago. It’s significantly more potent and it can be further concentrated for use. A combination that can harm the developing brain.”
David Evans Esq.- New Jersey Drug Free Schools Coalition
“We are alarmed about the growing normalization of marijuana in schools, in workplaces and in homes. This will have no positive outcomes. As the US Surgeon General recently stated:
‘Recent increases in access to marijuana and in its potency, along with misperceptions of safety of marijuana endanger our most precious resource, our nation’s youth.'”
As we’ve seen, recreational marijuana doesn’t fix problems it only makes them worse. Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey,® alongside our coalition of partners standing against marijuana legalization, is fighting for our communities of color, low-income neighborhoods, and the overall public health and safety of New Jersey citizens.
We stand for policies and ballot measures that will strengthen families, uplift society, and provide safer workplaces. We will not allow lawmakers to devastate the Garden State!
We strongly encourage the NJ State Senate and Assembly to serve the people of their districts and not the pockets of their donors. Vote no on recreational marijuana!
Thank you for taking action to protect our youth and most vulnerable citizens!
Shawn Hyland
Advocacy Director
Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey
Len Deo
Director of Alliances – Northeast Region, Family Policy Alliance
Founder and Past President, New Jersey Family Policy Council
