NJ Senator Wants To End Federal Ban On Weed. Here’s What Trump Thinks

It’s been more than five years since New Jersey legalized recreational weed, but the battle to end the federal ban on cannabis continues – and a Garden State lawmaker is among those demanding change.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker recently joined with two other Democratic senators to introduce the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act.

If it crosses the finish line, the bill would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, leaving it up to each state to decide their own rules.

The proposed law would reduce or eliminate federal penalties for most cannabis-related behavior. People with prior non-violent marijuana convictions would have them automatically expunged, and people serving time in federal prison would be allowed to apply for resentencing.

The bill would also create a regulatory framework governing the production, sale and use of marijuana – including taxes. Meanwhile, it would end “unnecessary” drug testing for federal employees and enable more job protections for people in the cannabis industry.

“For decades, generations have suffered unjustly under the failed War on Drugs and broken cannabis laws, hurting primarily people of color,” Booker said.

“It is long overdue that we stand up for them,” he urged.

It isn’t the first time that Booker has called for a shakeup of the nation’s cannabis laws. He also helped to spearhead similar bills in 2017 and 2024, and has advocated for an end to marijuana-related evictions in public housing, among other regulatory changes.

Other Senate sponsors of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act include Chuck Schumer of New York and Ron Wyden of Oregon. Read their summary of the proposal here.

The bill has picked up support from advocates including the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which said that nearly every state has enacted laws permitting the medical use of cannabis in some form, and 24 states and several territories currently regulate its adult-use possession and sale.

“The continued federal prohibition of marijuana is increasingly out of step with public opinion, state laws, and scientific evidence,” NORML political director Morgan Fox said.

“Nearly all Americans live in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal for either medical or adult use,” Fox said. “It is time for Congress to enact policies that reflect this reality and finally bring the failed experiment of marijuana prohibition to a close.”

• Related: Stop Evicting People For Weed In States Where It’s Legal, NJ Senator Says
• Related: Booker, Other U.S. Senators Urge Feds To ‘Reschedule’ Marijuana

CANNABIS RESCHEDULING AND DONALD TRUMP

President Donald Trump has also recently taken a stance on the federal regulations and laws surrounding cannabis.

Last December, the president officially called for the federal rescheduling of marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

Trump signed an executive order that directs the U.S. attorney general to expedite completion of the process of shifting cannabis to Schedule III of the Controlled Substance Act, alongside other drugs such as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine and anabolic steroids. It is currently considered a Schedule I substance, alongside heroin, cocaine and meth.

The proposal will still have to go through the federal government’s rulemaking process before it takes full effect.

Trump’s executive order doesn't legalize weed in the United States, or impact laws in states that have legalized cannabis – such as New Jersey. However, it would make it much easier to research potential medical benefits of cannabis. Rescheduling would also allow licensed businesses to take traditional tax deductions, which would help stabilize the industry and potentially lower prices for customers.

“I want to emphasize that the order I am about to sign doesn't legalize marijuana in any way, shape or form, and in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug,” Trump said.

“At the same time, the facts compel the federal government to recognize that marijuana can be legitimate in terms of medical applications when carefully administered in some cases,” he said.

“We have people begging for me to do this,” Trump added. “People that are in great pain.”

Not everyone agreed with the president, including several lawmakers from his own party.

New Jersey Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, a Republican from the state’s 24th district, said he disagrees with the president’s decision to reschedule marijuana, which he called a “mixed bag.”

Inganamort argued that rescheduling cannabis will mostly benefit big businesses.

“To be clear, this is not legalization,” Inganamort said. “It moves marijuana from a classification comparable to heroin to one closer to ketamine. The key difference, and why I ultimately disagree with rescheduling, is that ketamine is not sold recreationally.”

Meanwhile, a group of 22 Republican U.S. senators penned a letter to Trump, attempting to walk him back from his stance.

“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age,” the lawmakers wrote.

The wheels have continued to spin on rescheduling cannabis since Trump’s executive order.

In April, the acting attorney general signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III, moving the president’s order forward. The decision got a tentative thumbs-up from Booker, who said it will bring financial and operational benefits to legal businesses in New Jersey.

“But there is still a long way to go. Unauthorized possession remains a crime,” he added. “People will still be prosecuted, detained, and deported for marijuana offenses. Some will continue to serve prison sentences. Others will carry criminal records that follow them for years. This is why we must de-schedule cannabis altogether.”

• Related: ‘Weed The People’: NJ Reacts To Trump’s Big Move On Marijuana
• Related: When Trump And Cory Booker Agreed: 5 Years Of ‘First Steps’

LEGAL MARIJUANA IN NEW JERSEY: WHAT TO KNOW

New Jersey passed a medical marijuana law in 2010, which remained the only legal way for people to consume cannabis in the state for more than a decade.

Voters approved recreational marijuana for adults in November 2020. But it wasn’t legal to fire up the bong until former Gov. Phil Murphy signed the official framework into law in February 2021.

New Jersey residents and visitors are only allowed to buy cannabis at a licensed dispensary. Growing marijuana at home is not permitted.

Here are some other things to know about Garden State’s current regulations for adult recreational use, as per the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission:

WHO CAN BUY? – Anyone 21 years and older (New Jersey residents or visitors)

WHAT CAN I BUY? – In each transaction, dispensaries are allowed to sell up to the equivalent of 28.35 grams or one ounce of usable cannabis (four grams of solid concentrates or resin, four grams of concentrate in liquid form, four grams of vaporized formulations (oil), or 1,000 mg of edibles or other cannabis-infused products).

HOW MUCH WEED CAN I HAVE ON ME? – New Jersey state law allows adults 21 years and older to have up to six ounces of cannabis and cannabis products in their possession.

WHERE CAN I SMOKE? – Cannabis users may smoke in private spaces, however landlords can prohibit cannabis use on their property. Cannabis smoking is allowed where cigarette smoking is permitted, unless stated otherwise. People can also consume legal cannabis at licensed dispensaries with approved consumption areas.

IS IT ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WHILE HIGH? – Yes. Laws regarding driving while impaired apply to being under the influence of cannabis.

HOW MUCH IS THE TAX? – All transactions are subject to New Jersey sales tax of 6.625 percent, plus a social equity excise fee of 1/3 of 1 percent. Customers may also face local fees or taxes, depending on the location of the dispensary.

CAN I TAKE MY WEED OUT OF STATE? – No. It is still illegal to transport cannabis across state lines.

CAN I GIVE MY FRIENDS WEED AS A GIFT? – Yes. People may give up to 28.35 grams (one ounce) of cannabis to another adult 21 years or older. They may not accept any form of payment or compensation for the gifted cannabis.

• Related: Weed Arrests Have Plummeted In NJ Since Voters Legalized Marijuana
• Related: NJ Man Gets Fresh Start After 2 Decades In Jail On Weed Conviction
• Related: It’s Time To Finally End New Jersey’s Drug War, Advocates Say

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