Either it's decriminalized, or it's not. Really can't be both.
It's either "legal" (no penalties) to have a legally determined "small amount" in one's possession, or its a misdemeanor requiring a ticket/fine etc like described in the article. Because the bottom line is, you don't get tickets for doing "legal" things.... You get tickets and fines for "breaking laws or ordinances" -- in other words, unlawful acts.
While they may not technically be "criminal" offenses, when it comes to Pot, decriminalizing it should mean under a certain amount is "legal". Period.
Still giving out tickets and fines when one is still "within the legal range of possession" is truly "decriminalizing pot"? Really? Come on. Use tickets and fines for those who are OVER the limit amounts of legal possession.
It's time to end this ridiculous War on Drugs, and stop spending tax dollars on it, harassing citizens about it, stop ruining lives and stuffing our jails and courts with it.
We don't need these "its for your own good" laws!
Let adults make their own decisions as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.

From the article:
"The proposed bill would drop the penalty to a $150 fine for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for a third. Those caught with paraphernalia would face a $100 fine. "

So there is still the whole attitude about "getting caught". Still the same attitude of it being a first, second and third "offense". So how will these new lower penalties work for someone 'caught' in a random drug test for future or current employment? How will these lower penalties work for someone 'caught' who may be on welfare or have student loans, or live in government housing? How will these new lower penalties work for someone who is in a car accident, but has traces of pot in their drug test from use three weeks earlier? See? it's all BS. Either it is legal or it's not. Can't be both.

2.5 million Americans in prison. One out of six are serving sentences for marijuana. I support this bill. And if you can't tell the difference between a $150 fine and a prison sentence, you're nuts. Stop incarcerating American citizens for marijuana. And stop wasting our law enforcement's time and resources.

Really isn't it about time to legalize marijuana. I personally no longer partake but even considering a fine is absolutely wrong. Go watch the old Refer Madness movie.

It kind of puts it into perspective. Let adults do as they please on this one.

It's a plant that grow in the dirt...why should it be illegal??

Medical cannabis patient here. Legalization isn't the answer. Decriminalization isn't the answer. Take it off the Schedule 1 list, and allow medical use.
Educate the Country as to the benefits of medical use, and stop trying to make it just 'another beer' for folks catching a buzz.
In CA they have strains available at the Dispensaries that have almost no THC, hence no intoxicating effects. It DOES however have CBG which has numerous medicinal benefits.
Educate rather than intoxicate, and we will win this battle.

This is a no brainer.....NO...... absolutely not decriminalize. LEGALIZE..........

Make it legal all together,in my view marijuana is a relaxation substance not a drug.declassify it from a drug to what it is,just a plant.I have neve seen anyone get violent or addicted to this plant,also not a gateway to other drugs.If decriminalized maybe these kids wont have to find other things like sniff glue,bath salts,gas,spray paint,and all the other things they can find that kill them,pot doesn't kill,makes everybody love one another.If everybody in the world at they same time would sit down,smoke a little you would have world peace for at least a few hours,

Medical use is well documented and getting more accepted every day. I will also be a medical marijuana patient -- IF and WHEN Chris Christie ever stops effin' around with the program and allows things to move forward!
As it stands now, the two MM doctors I contacted, who are registered with the state at this time, both told me they aren't even considering seeing MM patients or writing their first scripts for it "... For at least another year or so....".
That's how slow things are moving. And we've passed the MM legislation almost two years ago, already.
Christie is determined to sabotage this program in every way possible. If true legalization should happen first, or at the same time, it would help EVERYONE, medical and recreational users both. I honestly don't care to split hairs over which happens first or who has a 'legitimate' MM patient card or not.

Those caught with paraphernalia would face a $100 fine.

So lets set up a little hypothetical scenario here. It's summer time, I'm relaxing on my covered patio, which can be seen from the street, about 30 ft away, along my property. I have a wine cooler on the table and right next to it an ashtray with a small marijuana pipe in it. Pipe is obviously used, but empty, and there are no drugs of any kind, anywhere. Well, except for the 'legal' wine cooler.
You mean to tell me if for some reason a cop was called, or drove up on the street next to my property, and came up to my patio to talk to me - as I said, for any reason- I could be ticketed for $100 because I have 'paraphernalia'. Seriously??
Even after pot is "decriminalized"?

And what would happen then? Would the cop confiscate the pipe? Would that allow him to search my home at this point? Where and how would this all end?
Decriminalizing marijuana is useless - unless possession is decriminalized to the point of being totally LEGAL for under a certain amount. And the whole $100 paraphernalia thing is absolutely ridiculous.

And I sold all my stock in Banana Paper twenty yrs. ago ..Lmao Light'em if ya got 'em.Cheech and Chong are moving to Jersey to help the Governor's program get under way , look for VW with a lot of smoke pouring out of all the windows on Rt 37 ..over the bridge to SSH's ..section 8's are in there glory ! Get ready for:Hey Buddy ya got an EXTRA joint to spare ? My SSI ran out ! Lmao ...again..

Don't we have enough potheads running around now. Lets have a couple hundred or thousand join them. Geez!!!

@Laura, you are sooooo correct. Alcohol has ruined more lives, jobs, families that any weed did. Make the penalties for all other drugs harsher.

Because it is an HERB has not caused 1 DEATH & is so necessary for so many things. Being an MS patient & being on PHARMAS that nearly KILLED ME now I use Medical Marijuana for my health care which I can HONESTLY say, SAVED MY LIFE!!!

Great question ,and great poll, thank you Patch.
I agree the war on drugs has been an utter failure without a doubt. Simply put, if you ban a substance you can never control or moderate it in any form, it simply goes "under ground" and out of control.. This country learned this lesson in the past with alcohol prohibition, which empowered the likes of the mafia and other sub cultures resulting in many meaningless deaths to say the least. Not to mention the taxes and revenues lost during that period..Unfortunately, this country seems to have forgotten its very own history.
The bottom line regarding Marijuana is at least three fold:.
1. Like it or not, there is ongoing and increasing proof that marijuana has positive medical properties and is beneficial for certain health issues. This is not opinion, its fact backed by medical research..With that said, why do the politicians who have zero health care training, and zero pharmaceutical training have the final say that way? Shouldn't some one in the real medical community like a doctor have at least some input? It makes no sense at all..And if it is as useless as some people claim then why is there marinol? Also, consider how our governor has made a mockery of medical Marijuana here in NJ leaving many patients that would benefit from medical marijuana out in the cold.

2.Resources: As budgets and funding across NJ begin to dwindle, it makes less sense to waste court and or jail/prison space for these low level offenses. Seriously, how much of your taxes do you want to spend on locking up and housing a stoner? Now, how much time do you want our decreasing man-powered police departments to spend or devote on marijuana type offenses? The same question holds true for our court system and prosecutors. Its not profitable by any means, and simply put, it's back logging our courts and slowing our legal system to a stand still. Lets re-focus these valuable resources on more serious crimes and more serious criminals. Lets use our tax money for things like better schools, better roads, and more or better municipal services.
3: By legalizing Marijuana and allowing hemp products back into our market place this will help to stimulate our economy even more. Will it solve all of our financial issues? I can't see how it would, but it will help by creating new industry and strengthening some already challenged ones like farming, manufacturing etc. Add in the taxes collected for these products and from these newly created businesses, jobs will also be created and our economy gets a boost.

Legalized Marijuana will not be easy, there will be pluses and minuses just like anything else. Time magazine claims over 80 million Americans have smoked marijuana. Do you really think that harsher penalties (that we as a society can not afford to pay for) are really going to zero out this issue? I for one don't think our jails need to be filled up with pot smokers. Myself, being a non-drinker, I admit that I have little patience for those who do consume alcohol, but at the end of the day, this is America, and America is about choices. In closing, if marijuana is regulated, there will be more opportunity to keep it out of the hands of our children. Does that mean that no one (children included) would ever abuse or use marijuana, of course not... There will always be a group of people that abuse things, this is true already with teen drinking, and teen smoking. Another interesting point of view is a group called L.E.A.P. Google it, its truly worth a glance.

http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_J._Anslinger
It's all about money, billions, what is fundable in WASHINGTON?
Our hard earned money protecting the wealth of the few. It happens every day.
Back in the day... *George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.

What do you think they did with the flowers?

I find it disturbing that some in this country are so forgetful regarding our history...Very good points Nick and I agree with you. It looks like we're destined to repeat ourselves on this one, so much for the benefit of history. Why are people so short sighted and closed minded that way?
I honestly think that just about any substance can be addicting, either physically or mentally depending on the individual. I get so tired of hearing about how if marijuana is decriminalized or made legal, the world will just fill up with stoners. What a cop out. Its mind blowing to think about just how many people are smoking marijuana already. As a “free society” we cannot afford to incarcerate them all, the cost is just too high.

Let me start by saying that I have never used pot. But I feel it should be legalized for several reasons. Many studies I've read state that pot is no more addictive than liquor, and pot doesn't cause violent behavior, like liquor does in some cases.

We are in bad economic times right now and we are wasting BILLIONS on enforcement and incarceration of people due to marijuana. In addition, law enforcement lives have been lost due to the fight against pot. Tens of thousands of Mexicans have been killed due to the drug cartels that smuggle pot across the border.
If pot were legalized and regulated, both state and federal government would see a windfall in tax revenues (and jobs), much as California has. Does anyone seriously believe that a small number of people that might become addicted would equal the money (and lives) we are spending currently on enforcement and incarceration? If people abuse pot, they can be prosecuted, as are users of liquor that affect others with their actions.
And finally, there is the Libertarian aspect. Who is the government to tell people what they can and can't do in the privacy of their home, as long as it doesn't hurt other people?

Decriminalize, legalize..whatever. Do SOMETHING! cause what we have now aint workin'!
The fact that its illegal to smoke a joint in your own home is disgraceful.

LOCK THEM ALL UP .IT LEADS TO METH . IT'S A FACT

There is a direct correlation between crime and illicit drug use. However, the argument can be made that if legalized, such as alcohol, then the criminal element will dissipate. One must be careful as to not "label" a user as a criminal, just the supplier. I am sure that if it is a taxable endedavor that will generate large sums of money for the government, it is inevitable. A vice tax is the easiest way.

bally thats like saying:
That all drinking, leads to drunk driving.
That all guns are used for murder
and that all idiots are drop outs...
its a fact ;)

If we legalize pot we'll have all these dangerous pot heads running around causing crime!!!! Oh wait most of the time when I smoke I just wanna go to Taco Bell and eat the entire value menu! So to all the people that believe Reefer Madness, Ya I'm pretty sure legalizing pot isn't going to cause a crime wave. Longer lines at Taco Bell, yes but crime nope.

The last thing you want to do under the influence of marijuana is go commit a crime. I am in my late 50s and I know it's no worse than alcohol; in fact some people are mean drunks but I never saw anyone mean after smoking weed; hungry, yes, mean,no. The war on marijuana is an enormous waste of precious resources.

If alcohol had been invented in the last 40 years it would probably be illegal today. Marijuana has been used forever. It should be decriminalized, at least for adults of drinking age.

Medical Marijuana helps many people get through, what for them is, a dreary life burdened with illness or disease. I strongly support medical marijuana for those where prescription drugs won't help. I also support those who are not ill or sick to be able to befriend the person who can legally obtain a decent supply of marijuana. You never know when the friendship will come in handy, especially around 4:20 in the afternoon.