New Jersey lawmakers introduce bill to expand cannabis data collection for police officers

A New Jersey government official wants to review your overall relationship with cannabis in order to crack down on drug driving, reports the New Jersey Monitor. Rep. Shanique Speight (D) wants to create a department tasked with compiling data such as information on all arrests for drinking and driving, use or possession of cannabis, in addition to other arrests, firings and convictions related to marijuana, confiscated cannabis and even rulings on cannabis charges.

The reality of the dangers of driving with cannabis in the body is hotly debated. US lawmakers are keen to find a way to solve the problem. Whether they’re getting people high (and even getting them cravings) to educate themselves about drinking and driving, or they’re working on technology to scan your eyeballs, they really, really want to find a way to do it reach out to identify (and prosecute) anyone driving under the influence of cannabis. Not to mention that the legalization of weed in Canada has not been linked to an increase in car accidents.

Speight was inspired to address the issue in her home state after visiting Colorado, the first state with legal recreational weed, in the summer of 2022 and observing how the state is treating cannabis-driven drivers. “I don’t know if they have the right guidance on how to charge without going over the limit,” Speight said. In Colorado, there is an office of the state criminal justice department that monitors and records all cannabis-related crimes. However, there is no comparable centralized database in New Jersey. “When I saw what they were doing there, I started thinking about how good that would be for our state,” she said. “I like the fact that there is a dedicated department that handles and follows up on these cases.”

So, dear New Jersey residents, you can be mad at Colorado for inspiring your state to step up its resolve on cannabis-related arrests. Speight’s goal is to set up the department so that the police know under what circumstances they can arrest someone. This means that the state government will collect more information about its citizens, which will be presented annually to the governor and the legislature, with any recommendations for improvement.

The bill, tabled earlier this month (backed by Senator Vin Gopal (D) in the Senate), would also launch a “public awareness campaign” on cannabis and driving. It is currently being referred to both the Legal Affairs Committee and the Public Safety Committee of the chambers.

In New Jersey, recreational cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older. You can own up to six ounces. If you’re caught with more than that, the police can’t arrest you, but can issue a summons. Also, they can’t search your car without a warrant just because they think they smell weed smoke. If a police officer goes too far and investigates cannabis use by anyone under the age of 21, they can be charged with disenfranchisement for knowingly violating the requirements of the Cannabis Act. They face up to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

As a result, Speight says she’s “troubled” by incidents where the New Jersey Police Department doesn’t know what to do. Many officials are taking a more low-key approach to avoid getting into trouble as a result of the applicable law, and the proposed data-gathering-based department aims to address this issue. While the existing rules sound favorable to anyone who enjoys cannabis, they confuse police, who without an up-to-date, accurate cannabis version of the breathalyzer have a hard time determining whether someone is driving stoned or not.

“It’s all getting complicated for me, but I don’t think it should be ignored. It should be addressed,” adds Speight, noting that she hopes to work with both cannabis advocates and law enforcement on the bill.