As New Jersey moves toward legal weed, federal government stays silent

Days after Gov. Phil Murphy's administration inched closer to making marijuana legal in New Jersey, the federal government's top drug prosecutor declined to tip his hand as to whether the Trump administration would stand in the way.

Addressing about 400 law enforcement professionals and teachers in Atlantic City, U.S. Associate Deputy Attorney General Steven H. Cook reaffirmed the Trump administration's decision to end a "notorious" Obama-era policy that directed federal prosecutors to take a hands-off approach to marijuana in states that had legalized the drug.

Under Murphy, a Democrat who took office in January, New Jersey is moving toward becoming the 10th state to permit marijuana sales and use by adults without conditions. Murphy included revenue from a legal marijuana market in his 2019 budget plan, anticipating that sales would begin in January 2019. Murphy's budget advisers anticipate about $300 million a year in tax revenue once a legal marketplace is fully established.

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Cook made no mention of Murphy's action in his 30-minute speech to the annual conference of Law Enforcement Against Drugs at an Atlantic City casino ballroom. The federal official, who is considered a hard-liner in the war on drugs, did not take questions from attendees or reporters after his speech.

Even though the Justice Department announced in January that it was ending leniency on marijuana laws, it has yet to take concrete action against states that allow the drug.

Cook ticked off several Obama administration policies that he said weakened the war on drugs, such as issuing clemency for some drug dealers, reducing criminal penalties, and encouraging federal oversight of more police departments.

"All of this emboldened criminals," Cook said, adding that Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have reversed the Obama policies.

While Cook did not address the possibility of New Jersey's legalizing marijuana, several police officers at the conference said it would be a grave mistake. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but police and prosecutors in states that have legalized it have not taken action against users.

"For a state to ignore federal law is a serious assault on the rule of law in this country," said Chaplain David Boone of the Fair Lawn Police Department. "To me, it seems like they just want the tax money, which is sad, because this is going to hurt people, especially kids."

The New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police took a public position against legalizing marijuana earlier this month, but the association suggested it was open to compromises that would reduce prosecutions of low-level offenders. Law Enforcement Against Drugs, an Allentown-based nonprofit, has not taken a formal position, said Nicholas DeMauro, its chief executive.

A retired New Milford police detective, DeMauro said he personally opposes the idea.

"We have enough vices in the world," he said. "We don't need another psychoactive substance in our communities."

It's not clear how vocal law enforcement groups intend to be as Murphy and lawmakers proceed with legislation to allow personal marijuana use and sales. The police chiefs association did not immediately respond to an inquiry about its plans. In other states that have legalized the drug through ballot measures, such as California, law enforcement groups have taken a leading role as opponents.

At the conference in Atlantic City, some officers said they simply want guidance on the law so that they can enforce it.

"I don't think anyone has any clarity as to what the law is going to be," said Middle Township Police Officer Martin Lindholm. "Our job is to enforce the laws as they are."