Senator Nicholas Scutari has introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey, Bill S3195, to the Senate. If passed, the bill would:

• Decriminalize marijuana possession of up to 50 grams "immediately" and allow people who have been arrested for pot possession to expunge their records;

• Establish a Division of Marijuana Enforcement in the state Attorney General's Office which would create the rules used to govern the legal market of growers and sellers;

• Allow people to possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana, 16 ounces of edible products infused with cannabis, 72 ounces in liquid form and seven grams of marijuana "concentrate;

• Impose a sales tax on recreational sales beginning at 7 percent in the first year, climbing to 10 percent in the second year and jumping five percent more each year until it reaches 25 percent. Taxes on medical marijuana would be abolished.

• Give the five existing medical marijuana dispensary nonprofit groups first crack at selling recreational pot.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, who had their first hearing on legalizing recreational Marijuana on June 20th (read more about the hearing here). You can read more about the bill and the push to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey here. You can find the full text of the bill here. To contact Senator Nicholas Scutari click here.