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| You Want Snacks With That? New Jersey Bill Considers Marijuana Delivery | You Want Snacks With That? New Jersey Bill Considers Marijuana Delivery |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
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| Door-to-door marijuana delivery? Marijuana cafes? | Door-to-door marijuana delivery? Marijuana cafes? |
| Maybe. | Maybe. |
| New Jersey is inching toward becoming the 11th state to legalize marijuana for recreational use, though a vote this year on a bill to make the drug legal is nearly impossible. | New Jersey is inching toward becoming the 11th state to legalize marijuana for recreational use, though a vote this year on a bill to make the drug legal is nearly impossible. |
| The final day of voting in the State Legislature this year is Monday, and it appears the bill has become mired in Trenton gridlock, with Gov. Philip D. Murphy and Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president, struggling to round up enough votes to pass it. | The final day of voting in the State Legislature this year is Monday, and it appears the bill has become mired in Trenton gridlock, with Gov. Philip D. Murphy and Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president, struggling to round up enough votes to pass it. |
| Still, the legislation will likely form the backbone of how New Jersey moves forward to legalize recreational marijuana. | Still, the legislation will likely form the backbone of how New Jersey moves forward to legalize recreational marijuana. |
| While a groundbreaking companion bill that would clear the criminal records of many people with drug offenses has captured headlines, the rest of the 152-page bill is a compendium of various measures from other states that have legalized the drug. | While a groundbreaking companion bill that would clear the criminal records of many people with drug offenses has captured headlines, the rest of the 152-page bill is a compendium of various measures from other states that have legalized the drug. |
| Here’s a look at some of the notable proposals in New Jersey’s bill. | Here’s a look at some of the notable proposals in New Jersey’s bill. |
| What this means: Door-to-door cannabis delivery, like Domino’s pizza, but with strict rules and menu items like Blueberry Kush and Sour Diesel. | What this means: Door-to-door cannabis delivery, like Domino’s pizza, but with strict rules and menu items like Blueberry Kush and Sour Diesel. |
| The fine print: Despite the tangled and often congested mess of highways in New Jersey, not everyone owns a car. | The fine print: Despite the tangled and often congested mess of highways in New Jersey, not everyone owns a car. |
| So to make the drug available to more people, the bill would allow delivery. But ordering marijuana requires a lot more paperwork than ordering two pepperoni pies. | So to make the drug available to more people, the bill would allow delivery. But ordering marijuana requires a lot more paperwork than ordering two pepperoni pies. |
| Customers must have documentation proving that they are 21, the legal age the bill would set to buy cannabis products. | Customers must have documentation proving that they are 21, the legal age the bill would set to buy cannabis products. |
| To offer delivery, retailers would have to be approved by the state, vehicles would have to have working GPS systems, every delivery would have to be tracked and meticulously logged. | To offer delivery, retailers would have to be approved by the state, vehicles would have to have working GPS systems, every delivery would have to be tracked and meticulously logged. |
| Drivers could not deviate from their delivery routes except to get gas, to rest or if roads are closed. Cars could not have any markings indicating they are being used to deliver marijuana. | Drivers could not deviate from their delivery routes except to get gas, to rest or if roads are closed. Cars could not have any markings indicating they are being used to deliver marijuana. |
| Where it started: California allows cannabis delivery, but it is heavily regulated. Cars must also be equipped with interior cameras to monitor deliveries. | Where it started: California allows cannabis delivery, but it is heavily regulated. Cars must also be equipped with interior cameras to monitor deliveries. |
| What this means: Like marijuana cafes in Amsterdam, people would be able to buy in one room and smoke in another. | What this means: Like marijuana cafes in Amsterdam, people would be able to buy in one room and smoke in another. |
| The fine print: In every state where recreational marijuana is legal, public consumption remains against the law. Instead, people are supposed to consume marijuana in their homes. | The fine print: In every state where recreational marijuana is legal, public consumption remains against the law. Instead, people are supposed to consume marijuana in their homes. |
| With an eye toward neighborliness, New Jersey plans to ban the use of marijuana in large multifamily homes, high-density apartment buildings and public housing. | With an eye toward neighborliness, New Jersey plans to ban the use of marijuana in large multifamily homes, high-density apartment buildings and public housing. |
| So to make it more accessible, the bill proposes allowing marijuana dispensaries to set up sections of their business, separate from the retail area, where customers could take what they bought and enjoy it. | So to make it more accessible, the bill proposes allowing marijuana dispensaries to set up sections of their business, separate from the retail area, where customers could take what they bought and enjoy it. |
| “We think that this should be treated equivalently to alcohol in many respects and allowing for safe and regulated public consumption is just one aspect of that,” said Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the National Cannabis Industry Association. | “We think that this should be treated equivalently to alcohol in many respects and allowing for safe and regulated public consumption is just one aspect of that,” said Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the National Cannabis Industry Association. |
| Who started it: The first state to propose consumption areas was Alaska, which is still debating the idea even though it has legalized marijuana. For now, Nevada is the only state that permits cannabis lounges statewide. Some counties and cities in California and Colorado have also begun allowing similar operations. | Who started it: The first state to propose consumption areas was Alaska, which is still debating the idea even though it has legalized marijuana. For now, Nevada is the only state that permits cannabis lounges statewide. Some counties and cities in California and Colorado have also begun allowing similar operations. |
| What this means: It’s a way to encourage mom-and-pop shops. | What this means: It’s a way to encourage mom-and-pop shops. |
| The fine print: Cannabis is a multibillion dollar industry in the United States and several large corporations are eagerly anticipating the opening of the New Jersey retail market, especially because it is so close to New York City and Philadelphia. | The fine print: Cannabis is a multibillion dollar industry in the United States and several large corporations are eagerly anticipating the opening of the New Jersey retail market, especially because it is so close to New York City and Philadelphia. |
| But to promote small businesses, the bill mandates that 10 percent of licenses be given to shops that have no more than 10 workers in a space smaller than 2,500 square feet and that process less than 1,000 pounds of cannabis every month. | But to promote small businesses, the bill mandates that 10 percent of licenses be given to shops that have no more than 10 workers in a space smaller than 2,500 square feet and that process less than 1,000 pounds of cannabis every month. |
| Where it started: A ballot initiative approved in Michigan that makes recreational marijuana legal also contains a specific carve out for small businesses. | Where it started: A ballot initiative approved in Michigan that makes recreational marijuana legal also contains a specific carve out for small businesses. |
| What this means: It’s an attempt to diversify an overwhelmingly white industry. | What this means: It’s an attempt to diversify an overwhelmingly white industry. |
| The fine print: Though reliable national data remains scarce, numerous industry surveys have found that minorities represent a small percentage of owners of cannabis companies. | The fine print: Though reliable national data remains scarce, numerous industry surveys have found that minorities represent a small percentage of owners of cannabis companies. |
| New Jersey’s proposed law seeks to address the imbalance in two ways. | New Jersey’s proposed law seeks to address the imbalance in two ways. |
| First, it creates “impact zones,” defined as a city that has a population greater than 120,000 (only Newark, Elizabeth, Paterson or Jersey City meet this criteria); or a municipality with a high crime rate, an average unemployment rate of 15 percent or higher; or a town that ranks in the top third in the state for marijuana-related arrests. | First, it creates “impact zones,” defined as a city that has a population greater than 120,000 (only Newark, Elizabeth, Paterson or Jersey City meet this criteria); or a municipality with a high crime rate, an average unemployment rate of 15 percent or higher; or a town that ranks in the top third in the state for marijuana-related arrests. |
| These communities would be given priority for retail licenses. | These communities would be given priority for retail licenses. |
| The bill also requires that 25 percent of licenses be held by women, minorities or veterans. | The bill also requires that 25 percent of licenses be held by women, minorities or veterans. |
| But some in the industry said establishing percentages may not be the best way to achieve diversity. | But some in the industry said establishing percentages may not be the best way to achieve diversity. |
| “Generally, I get a little bit wary of quota systems,” Mr. Fox said. “It seems to me that a much better way to address these issues is to just lower the barriers of entry as much as possible and not have things like arbitrary license caps or other forms of hyper-restrictive licensing.” | “Generally, I get a little bit wary of quota systems,” Mr. Fox said. “It seems to me that a much better way to address these issues is to just lower the barriers of entry as much as possible and not have things like arbitrary license caps or other forms of hyper-restrictive licensing.” |
| Where it started: New Jersey would be the first state to set aside a specific number of licenses for minorities. | Where it started: New Jersey would be the first state to set aside a specific number of licenses for minorities. |
| What this means: If you want marijuana you will have to pay for it. | What this means: If you want marijuana you will have to pay for it. |
| The fine print: Most states that have legalized cannabis also permit residents to grow a few plants at home for personal use, much like a home vintner crushing wine grapes and aging them in their basement. | The fine print: Most states that have legalized cannabis also permit residents to grow a few plants at home for personal use, much like a home vintner crushing wine grapes and aging them in their basement. |
| New Jersey, however, will not allow any backyard cultivation, much to the chagrin of many advocacy groups and industry watchdogs that say prohibiting homegrown marijuana makes the drug out of reach to low-income residents. It is much cheaper to grow a few plants than to buy regularly from a dispensary. | New Jersey, however, will not allow any backyard cultivation, much to the chagrin of many advocacy groups and industry watchdogs that say prohibiting homegrown marijuana makes the drug out of reach to low-income residents. It is much cheaper to grow a few plants than to buy regularly from a dispensary. |
| Where it started: Washington is the only other state that has legalized marijuana where home cultivation is not legal. | Where it started: Washington is the only other state that has legalized marijuana where home cultivation is not legal. |
| What this means: If it’s New Jersey and it involves taxes, of course there’s a debate. | What this means: If it’s New Jersey and it involves taxes, of course there’s a debate. |
| The semantics: One of the biggest disagreements between Mr. Murphy and the Legislature is the tax rate. The current proposal calls for a 12 percent tax rate, with the possibility of an additional two percent excise tax levied by municipalities. Mr. Murphy had been seeking a 25 percent tax. | The semantics: One of the biggest disagreements between Mr. Murphy and the Legislature is the tax rate. The current proposal calls for a 12 percent tax rate, with the possibility of an additional two percent excise tax levied by municipalities. Mr. Murphy had been seeking a 25 percent tax. |
| Mr. Sweeney says 12 percent is as high as he’s willing to go. Mr. Murphy hasn’t publicly commented on the tax rate since the bill was introduced. | Mr. Sweeney says 12 percent is as high as he’s willing to go. Mr. Murphy hasn’t publicly commented on the tax rate since the bill was introduced. |
| Where it started: Tax rates on marijuana vary greatly. Massachusetts set a 10.75 percent tax, while Washington levied a 37 percent tax. | Where it started: Tax rates on marijuana vary greatly. Massachusetts set a 10.75 percent tax, while Washington levied a 37 percent tax. |