Weed Bill Passes State and Assembly Committees in N.J., But Success Isn't Guaranteed
*By Christian Smith*
Committees in the New Jersey state Senate and Assembly may have both approved a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in the state, but the bill's success isn't certain, said Politico New Jersey Reporter Sam Sutton.
"It's still very contentious," Sutton said Wednesday in an interview on Cheddar. "There are a number of Democrats, most notably, former Governor Richard Cody, who is in the Senate now, and Ron Rice, who is a Senator from Essex County, who are both Democrats who are very, very, very opposed to any effort to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes."
The bill, which must now be approved by the full New Jersey legislature, would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults over the age of 21, and would establish a more robust statewide cannabis industry (the state currently allows the sale of medical marijuana).
While most Democrats support legalizing recreational marijuana, debate persists on how the product should be taxed. As the bill is currently written, marijuana products would be taxed 12 percent with an additional 2 percent excise tax for local governments.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's office wants marijuana taxed at 25 percent.
Barring any major developments, Sutton said that people in the Garden State could be able to buy recreational pot in as few as six to eight months ー but that's the best-case scenario for pot enthusiasts.
"More realistically, I would say a year to 18 months from now," Sutton said.
In a daring daylight robbery on Sunday, thieves used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s facade, smash display cases, and steal eight priceless jewels.
The Trump administration has agreed to resume processing student debt cancellations under two key income-driven repayment plans it had previously limited.
Millions of protesters flooded cities nationwide on Saturday for “No Kings” demonstrations denouncing what they call President Donald Trump’s authoritarian turn
Cynthia Chen, CEO of Kikoff, shares how their membership app helps users build credit with zero fees, no interest, and smart tools that make every point count.
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will soon engage in "erotica for verified adults." CEO Sam Altman says the company aims to allow more user freedom for adults while setting limits for teens. OpenAI isn't the first to explore sexualized AI, but previous attempts have faced legal and societal challenges. Altman believes OpenAI isn't the "moral police" and wants to differentiate content similar to how Hollywood differentiates R-rated movies. This move could help OpenAI, which is losing money, turn a profit. However, experts express concerns about the impact on real-world relationships and the potential for misuse.
CNN is launching a new “All Access” streaming subscription in the U.S. on October 28th, priced at $6.99 a month, or just $69.99 if you sign up for a full year.
