Marijuana Laws in New Jersey
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New Jersey marijuana laws break down into three distinct categories: possession, cultivation and sale. There is even a separate level of punishment for selling pot to a pregnant woman.
The New Jersey marijuana laws are some of the strictest in the nation. Because of those types of attitudes, New Jersey currently does not have any exemptions for medicinal marijuana use.
New Jersey Marijuana Possession Penalties
Most state marijuana laws have a threshold of one ounce as the smallest amount of pot you can possess. In New Jersey there are just two levels of possession amount.
For possession of less than 50 grams you will be charged with a misdemeanor and face six months in jail with a $1,000.
For possession of 50 grams or more you will be charged with a felony and face 18 months in jail with a $25,000 fine. If you are caught with any amount of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school you will have 100 hours of community service tacked onto your sentence.
New Jersey Marijuana Cultivation Penalties
From a legal standpoint cultivation of marijuana means growing pot or having pot plants on your property. Being caught with less than one ounce of growing pot is a felony that comes with 18 months in jail and a $10,000 fine.
With one ounce to fifteen pounds you will be looking at three to fifteen years in jail and a $25,000 fine.
At five to twenty-five pounds or ten to fifty plants you could be in jail for five to ten years and pay a $150,000 fine.
Any amount over twenty-five pounds or fifty plants could put you in jail for up to twenty years and have you paying a $300,000 fine.
New Jersey Marijuana Sale Penalties
When it comes to being convicted for selling marijuana, New Jersey does not pull any punches. Selling less than one ounce of pot is a misdemeanor that comes with one year in jail and $150,000 fine.
Selling one ounce or more is an automatic felony charge with 3 years of jail time and $150,000 fine.
There are additional marijuana sale penalties attached to certain circumstances. If you are convicted of selling within 1,000 of a school bus or campus you will be facing a mandatory sentencing of up to one third of the prescribed time depending on the amount you are caught selling.
If you sell more than one ounce within 500 feet of a public housing complex you will have three to five years added to your sentence. Finally, selling to a minor or a pregnant woman gets you double the penalty.
New Jersey Paraphernalia Penalties
If you are caught with marijuana paraphernalia in your possession you will be charged with a misdemeanor and face six months in jail. If you sell paraphernalia you will be charged with felony and get 18 months in jail. Sell to a minor and you are facing three to five years in jail.
