STATE OF NEW JERSEY VS. GEORGE A. MYERS
A-4295-12T4
The odor of marijuana has long been held to provide probable cause of the commission of a marijuana offense. Under the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA), N.J.S.A. 24:6I-1 to -16, registered qualifying patients receive registry identification cards, and their medical use of marijuana as authorized by the CUMMA is exempt from criminal liability under N.J.S.A. 2C:35-18. Where, as here, there is no evidence that the person suspected of possessing or using marijuana has a registry identification card, the odor of marijuana still provides probable cause of the commission of a marijuana offense. Here, the odor of burnt marijuana emanating from defendant's car gave the officer probable cause to arrest him for a marijuana offense committed in the officer's presence.
