Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey, directed by Roseanne Scotti, is dedicated to making New Jersey a leader in drug policy reform.  New Jersey’s ineffective and counterproductive drug policies have increased the harms related to drug use and wasted taxpayer money. Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey advocates for effective drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights.

We’ve already achieved significant victories for sterile syringe access, medical marijuana and mandatory minimum sentencing reform.

Please join our Action Network and help us make New Jersey a leader in implementing sensible, effective drug policies. And don't forget to take part in our most recent action alert.

Sentencing Reform

For years, New Jersey had some of the harshest and most counterproductive criminal sentencing laws in the nation. High rates of incarceration, with disproportionate impacts on communities of color, tarnished the state's reputation.  These policies were also extremely costly to the state in terms of wasted taxpayer dollars and devastating collateral consequences to New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities.  But strong advocacy from the Drug Policy Alliance, our allies and our supporters is beginning to make positive change.

To address these disparities and injustices, Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey has launched The New Solutions Campaign.  The Campaign promotes fair and effective criminal sentencing and stronger families and communities.  The Campaign’s first goal was to repeal New Jersey’s harsh mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.  These harsh sentences tear apart families and communities and waste taxpayer money.  Read our report, “Wasting Money, Wasting Lives: Calculating the Hidden Costs of Incarceration in New Jersey." 

In January 2010, after five years of intense advocacy, we and our coalition partners, allies and supporters were finally successful when the legislature passed and the governor signed S1866/A2762, which returned discretion to judges to waive mandatory minimum sentences for some nonviolent drug offenses!  The passage of this law is a major victory in the fight for fairer and more effective criminal sentencing and for fiscal responsibility. Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey continues working for criminal sentencing reform and stronger families and communities.

Please join us in advocating for fair and effective criminal sentencing and the reinvestment of resources into New Jersey’s families and communities.

Sterile Syringe Access and Harm Reduction

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey’s first priority in opening its office in 2002 was to advocate for legislation to allow for increased access to sterile syringes to prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases.

New Jersey's refusal to allow injection drug users access to sterile syringes contributed to a public health crisis. New Jersey has the fifth highest number of adult HIV cases in the nation, the third highest number of pediatric HIV cases, the highest proportion of women infected with HIV, and an exploding epidemic of hepatitis C. This failed policy also wasted millions of taxpayer dollars by increasing medical costs associated with HIV/AIDS.  Because HIV and hepatitis C can be spread by the sharing of contaminated syringes by injection drug users, public health and medical professionals have long advocated for increased access to sterile syringes to help stop the spread of these deadly diseases.

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey created the Campaign for a Healthier New Jersey and immediately began building an impressive coalition to advocate for change.  In late 2006, after four years of intense advocacy, we and our coalition partners, allies and supporters were finally successful when the legislature passed and the governor signed, S494/A1852 which allows six municipalities to establish syringe access programs!  (View pictures of Governor Corzine signing the legislation). The passage of this law is a major victory in the fight against HIV and hepatitis C.  Drug Policy Alliance has provided technical assistance and support in the implementation of the law and New Jersey now has syringe access programs in five cities. 

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey continues working for expanded municipal access and access through non-prescription sale of syringes in pharmacies.

Please join us in advocating for Assembly Bill No. 1088, which would allow the sale of limited numbers of syringes in pharmacies without a prescription.

Medical Marijuana

Each year thousands of New Jerseyans are diagnosed with cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other life threatening illnesses. For some of these patients, currently available medications will not be effective in reducing terrible symptoms such as nausea, wasting, muscle spasms, and pain. Medical marijuana could ease suffering and improve the quality of life for these patients.

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey launched the Compassionate Use Campaign in 2005 to advocate for legislation that would allow seriously ill patients in New Jersey to have access to medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.  We kicked off the Campaign with the release of polling that showed that 86% of New Jerseyans support allowing access to medical marijuana.  We released the polling at a press conference featuring television personality, New York Times best-selling author, and medical marijuana patient Montel Williams.  The following day, the first ever legislative hearings were held on a medical marijuana bill in New Jersey. 

In January 2010, after five years of intense advocacy, we and our coalition partners, patient and family advocates were finally successful when the legislature passed and the governor signed S119/A804, the “Compassionate Use Act,” which would allow seriously ill patients access to medical marijuana!  (View pictures of patient and family advocates at the press conference we organized prior to the vote.)  The passage of this law is a major victory in the fight for the compassionate and common sense response to suffering in New Jersey.  The law takes effect six months after the date of passage, and  then the Department of Health and Senior Services has three months to issue regulations that will govern the medical marijuana registry program and licensing of alternative treatment centers where qualifying patients will be able to access their medicine. For more information regarding becoming a registered medical marijuana patient, caregiver, or licensed alternative treatment center provider, please review our FAQs fact sheet.

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey continues working for safe and regulated access to medical marijuana for seriously ill individuals.

Collateral Consequences of Drug Convictions

The collateral damage of the drug war has been particularly severe in New Jersey. New Jersey ranks 14th among states in the number of citizens disenfranchised from the vote due to felony convictions. Between 16 and 18 percent of African American men cannot vote due to felon disenfranchisement. In addition, other collateral consequences of drug convictions in New Jersey are severe. New Jersey rates almost dead last in terms of removing barriers to social reentry for formerly incarcerated persons.

Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey supports the Second Chance Campaign to help ameliorate the collateral consequences of New Jersey’s unjust sentencing laws.  In addition, Drug Policy Alliance was part of Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman’s Criminal Justice Working Group which coordinated hearings around the state and recommended a package of reentry legislation.  Several of these important bills were passed in January 2010.

Another counterproductive collateral consequence was New Jersey's law mandating the loss of driver's licenses for all drug convictions no matter how minor and even though unrelated to driving or driver safety.  Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey worked hard to change this harsh sanction by supporting legislation that would give judges discretion not to revoke driver's licenses in compelling circumstances, such as needing a license to get to work or drug treatment.  On January 9, 2006, the New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed this important legislation.  Governor Richard Codey signed the legislation shortly after.

Contact Information

Roseanne Scotti, Director
Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey
16 West Front Street, Suite 101A
Trenton, New Jersey 08608
(p) 609-396-8613
(f) 609-396-9478
nj@drugpolicy.org