TRENTON, NJ – A New Jersey lawmaker wants to punish parents if their children raid their legal weed stash and edibles.
Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, a Morris County Republican, said criminal penalties in the form of a disorderly person offense should be levied against irresponsible parents who don’t secure their weed and cannabis stashes.
“An increasing number of children are gaining access to cannabis products following the legalization of adult-use recreational marijuana in New Jersey. Children are overdosing on edibles, not only because they are legal, but because they resemble benign candies and treats,” she stated in a press release. “It is time the Legislature put the proper safeguards in place to protect children by codifying the packaging regulations created by the cannabis commission.”
She referred to a doubling of accidental overdoses among children between 2019 and 2022, especially in young children who eat cannabis-laced gummies.
“Adults should be locking up their marijuana along with their liquor. The same precautions need to be taken, because there are similar consequences. Responsible adults are caring and careful; however, New Jersey has an obligation to protect children as the marijuana market continues to expand,” she added.