As New Jersey nears the end of its first month of legal recreational marijuana sales, lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aimed at restricting what types of workers can use cannabis off the job.
One measure (S2518), sponsored by Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean), would amend the state’s recreational marijuana law to ban cannabis consumption for any employee who operates heavy machinery or uses weapons, or whose use of cannabis would “put the public at risk.” That would include any workers who operate tractors, dump trucks, excavators, and bulldozers, plus law enforcement officers.
Lawmakers have been debating whether police officers should be allowed to partake in recreational marijuana since acting Attorney General Matt Platkin sent a memo last month reminding police departments that the law allows cops to use marijuana off duty. The memo prompted several cities and counties to say they will prohibit cannabis use by police officers.
Another bill (A3914), sponsored by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden), would also prohibit law enforcement from using cannabis.
It’s not clear whether any of the bills aimed at restricting cannabis use has the support of state Senate President Nicholas Scutari, a supporter of legal cannabis who has said it would be a “very dangerous, slippery slope” to regulate what people do when they’re not at work. Gov. Phil Murphy said he’d be open to restricting cannabis use among police officers. [Read more at New Jersey Monitor]
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