Legal pot in New Jersey — do you know the whole story?

Pot is legal across the Garden State as of this Thursday, April 21. Although many of us thought that it's about time that cannabis is taken off the list of criminal offenses, there are some concerns.

My friend Tom Pyle, a Princeton educated, local leader working with people afflicted with mental illness, joined me for an in-depth conversation on my podcast. We discussed the results in Colorado and other states which saw an increase in minority youths being arrested in the immediate aftermath of legalization, a rise in traffic accidents, and property crimes around the dispensaries.

I shared my thoughts after meeting with several large investors in local dispensaries learning that many leaders in the cannabis industry are the ones pushing for pot to remain illegal at the federal level.

It makes sense, of course. No pot across state lines forces local growing licenses, which limit supply and potentially keeps the price artificially high. The unintended consequence of this will likely be a thriving black market. Cheaper products lead to potentially more dangerous behavior.

My friend Heather Darling, who serves as the Morris County surrogate, weighed and shared some of the same concerns. Listen to my full conversation with Heather here:

And with Tom Pyle here:

Hit me up on the free New Jersey 101.5 app and let me know your thoughts about legal pot in the Garden State.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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