There’s no need to trip out over small amounts of magic mushrooms, New Jersey lawmakers say.
The state Legislature tweaked a marijuana decriminalization bill Thursday to soften the punishment for possession of the psychedelic drug, according to reports.
A key Senate committee amended the bill, S. 2535, to downgrade penalties for possessing up to an ounce of psilocybin — the hallucinogenic compound found in shrooms — from a third-degree felony to a disorderly persons offense, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the legislation, including the mushroom amendment, which was added by an unidentified senator.
“I’m really proud that this bill is unique in of its kind,” Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), who sponsored the legislation, told nj.com. “New Jersey will be at the forefront of the decriminalization conversations.”
Although the Garden State legalized recreational weed via a ballot measure Nov. 3, the Senate bill was proposed before it passed to remove criminal penalties for the possession of up to 6 ounces of marijuana. Lawmakers must still pass bills to halt arrests for possession of the drug and hammer out a plan for the budding industry.
The maximum fine for a disorderly persons charge is $500, along with up to 30 days in jail. By contrast, a person convicted of a third-degree felony can be sentenced to up to five years in prison, according to criminallawyer-nj.com.
New Jersey became the 12th state to legalize marijuana on Nov. 3. On the same day, Oregon became the first state to legalize magic mushroom use in therapy sessions.
Last year, New York decriminalized the possession of up to 2 ounces of weed.