SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 2109

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: JUNE 23, 1997

 

      The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2109.

      This bill would increase the penalties for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana. Specifically the bill provides as follows:

      (1) Distribution or possession with intent to distribute more than five ounces of methamphetamine would be a crime of the first degree. (Currently, committing this offense with any amount of methamphetamine greater than one ounce is a crime of the second degree.)

      (2) Distribution or possession with intent to distribute one-half ounce to five ounces of methamphetamine would be a crime of the second degree. (Currently, committing this offense with less than one ounce of methamphetamine is a crime of the third degree.)

      (3) Distribution or possession with intent to distribute 25 pounds of marijuana or 50 marijuana plants, or five pounds of hashish, would be first degree crime. (Currently, committing this offense with any amount of marijuana greater than five pounds, or any amount of hashish greater than one pound, is a crime of the second degree.)