Chris0nllyn
Well-Known Member
New Jersey became the seventh state in the country where Democrats now control the legislative and executive branches with the election on Tuesday of Philip D. Murphy, a former Wall Street banker with no experience in office, as its 56th governor.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/nyregion/phil-murphy-governor.htmlMr. Murphy, who promoted a liberal future for New Jersey with a $15 minimum wage, the legalization of marijuana and a vow to stand up to Mr. Trump, represents a shift in the state’s reputation for electing moderate governors and makes it a deeper shade of blue.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2017/11/08/marijuana-won-tuesdays-election/#257df1c09950With Murphy replacing vocal cannabis opponent Chris Christie (R) as governor, New Jersey is poised to potentially become the first state to allow legal recreational marijuana sales with an act of its legislature, as opposed to by voters through a ballot measure.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) is "committed" to bringing up a legalization bill early in 2018. "We are going to have a new governor in January 2018," he said. "As soon as the governor gets situated we are all here and we intend to move quickly on it."
Ralph Northam isn't as on the bandwagon as Philip Murphy but believes,
https://medium.com/@RalphNortham/a-more-fair-and-just-virginia-5616664acb6aWe need to change sentencing laws that disproportionately hurt people of color. One of the best ways to do this is to decriminalize marijuana. African Americans are 2.8 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession in Virginia. The Commonwealth spends more than $67 million on marijuana enforcement — money that could be better spent on rehabilitation.
As a doctor, I’m becoming increasingly convinced by the data showing potential health benefits of marijuana, such as pain relief, drug-resistant epilepsy, and treatment for PTSD. By decriminalizing it, our researchers can better study the plant so doctors can more effectively prescribe drugs made from it.