New Jersey lawmakers are considering adding a “social equity” tax in legislation that would legalize a recreational0 marijuana market in the Garden State.
Bills to legalize marijuana that are currently in the state’s legislative chambers give regulators the ability to add a “social equity excise fee” that would raise funds to be distributed to programs that fight against drug laws that target racial minorities, particularly the Black community.
Governor Murphy has said on numerous occasions that his motive to legalize cannabis in New Jersey is largely based on the idea that minorities are disproportionately targeted by drug laws. Racial minorities are arrested at far higher rates for drug offenses than are white people.
Although New Jersey voters overwhelmingly voted on November 3rd to legalize marijuana in the state, it will only go into effect on January 1st, and lawmakers must pass bills deciding on how cannabis will be taxed and regulated.
Welcome to New Jersey. The minority communities broke the law so much that it gets reversed and they get the taxes.
Make them addicted, and then tax them. The more addicted they get, the more taxes is accrued. It’s a win-win situation. And those who argued that marijuana is good for you will now claim they really believe marijuana is bad for you, and that’s why they want to add the taxes, to act as a deterrent to marijuana smoking.
@Yossi hold on there are some people in the majority who breaks laws too! Like using off shore banking, put money in there kids names for tax purposes, and buy and trading and pay with ???????????? so there is no paper trail So there enough blame to go around!!!! One more thing who own the boats and planes who brings the stuff in? Im sure the Choocos dont!!!
The headline is misleading. It implies that a tax is coming to everyone while in reality it will only be on the purchase of marijuana. The truth is that the state was going to charge an extra tax regardless and this will only direct the money to a specific cause.