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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie doesn’t even want to try and have an honest discussion about cannabis anymore, even if his constituents demand it. Christie was on local New Jersey radio yesterday for his monthly “Ask the Governor” program when a caller asked Christie about the tax revenue and other benefits (like job creation) that comes with decriminalized cannabis and recreational sales.
Christie, predictably, ignored that reality and flat-out said legal pot isn’t happening under his watch. “You say it’s going to come down the road,” Christie said to the caller. “You know it may come down the road when I’m gone. It’s not going to come while I’m here.”
The governor then moved on briefly, only to come back to the issue later in the program when he basically said that Colorado was a shithole compared to lovely New Jersey.
“For the people who are enamored with the idea with the income, the tax revenue from this, go to Colorado and see if you want to live there,” Christie said. “See if you want to live in a major city in Colorado where there’s head shops popping up on every corner and people flying into your airport just to come and get high. To me, it’s just not the quality of life we want to have here in the state of New Jersey and there’s no tax revenue that’s worth that.”
But, of course, he has no problem with people flying into his state to drink excessively and gamble their lives away in Christie’s casinos. As a Coloradan myself, I think I can safely say that – given a choice – any sane person would live in beautiful Colorado over the armpit that is your state, especially with a fat, snaky bastard like you in office. And I bet more would leave, if they could make it through the tollbooths.
Currently, possession of 50 grams or less in New Jersey is a “disorderly person” charge with up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines. “Distribution” less than an ounce is a felony with 1.5 years in jail and $25,000 in fines. Minors and pregnant women could face double the prison time and fines. Cultivation of between an ounce and 5 pounds is a felony with a mandatory three years in jail and $25,000 in fines.