Following almost two weeks of angry outcries from New Jersey parents and law enforcement, Democrats who control the Legislature are backpedaling on a provision in new marijuana laws that prohibit police from notifying parents if they catch underage kids smoking weed or drinking alcohol.
Democratic leaders have largely been silent though the controversy. Members of the Legislative Black Caucus and Legislative Latino Caucus insisted on a wide ranging decriminalization bill or they would have pulled their support from legislation setting up New Jersey's legal marijuana marketplace. The chairmen of both caucus groups now signal they will support parental notification.
The decriminalization bill was a messy compromise that had the backing of the Black Legislative Caucus. Members successfully killed any attempt to impose fines or penalties for underage use. They claimed police would use those provisions to unfairly stop and fine minority youth more often than whites under the age of 21.