Trenton City Council on Thursday will consider a resolution calling on the state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults
TRENTON -- Trenton City Council on Thursday will consider a resolution calling on the state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults.
North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who is sponsoring the resolution, said she has worked with re-entry groups and found that many young people are saddled with criminal records simply for smoking marijuana.
The resolution says that an arrest for a single marijuana cigarette can lead up to six months in jail, loss of a job, a driver's license suspension, up to $1,225 in fees and fines and eviction.
"Once these young people get incarcerated, there's no turning back," Caldwell-Wilson said. "They end up with a record and it's very difficult to get them back on track."
The resolution says that the existing laws on small amounts of marijuana waste the resources of police, prosecutors and courts that could be better spent on keeping the city safe from more serious crimes.
"We need to redefine the laws and the penalties involved," Caldwell-Wilson said.
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This summer, Asbury Park's city council passed a similar resolution.
Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion, who came before council in August, said the resolution is a step in the right direction, but wished council would consider the resolution he gave them.
His called on the city to add a section to its criminal statute that would decriminalize marijuana and make it the lowest priority for police.
"Twenty-two thousand people have their lives ruined every year because of our asinine marijuana laws," Forchion said. "This resolution is trying to remove that."
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.