Jersey Shore towns say state’s marijuana law handcuffs police and emboldens rowdy teens | WWTI – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — It’s summer on the Jersey Shore. For many young people, that means one thing: Party time!

But officials and residents of several beachside towns say New Jersey’s criminal justice reforms in recent years — such as decriminalizing marijuana use — are having an unintended effect, emboldening large groups of teenagers to run amok on beaches and boardwalks, knowing there’s little chance they’ll get in trouble for it.

Now, some lawmakers are trying to walk back parts of those laws, which also involve alcohol use and possession. The laws were designed to keep more juveniles out of the court system, and imposed a number of restrictions on police officers’ interactions with them.

“You don’t want to see a kid with a record that will last the rest of his life, but you can’t let them believe they can do anything they want,” said Mayor Anthony Vaz of Seaside Heights. “That’s unacceptable.”

During Memorial Day weekend, police and media outlets reported episodes of underage drinking, drug use, fights and assaults in Ocean City and Seaside Heights — home to the infamous MTV series “Jersey Shore” in which a bunch of summer renters generally raised hell in town.

Although teens have been drinking and smoking marijuana at the Jersey Shore for generations, long before the state altered its laws, some elected officials and residents say the situation has drastically worsened in the last two years.