New Jersey Democratic leaders are scuttling plans to introduce a bill to legalize marijuana in the state, due to the belief that they will be unable to garner enough support from lawmakers. Instead, they plan to give voters the option to amend New Jersey’s Constitution to allow individuals over the age of 21 to buy marijuana legally.
Governor Murphy strongly supports marijuana legalization and it is one of his primary policy objectives, with the governor saying that current laws relating to marijuana unfairly target minority populations in New Jersey.
Eleven US states have already legalized marijuana, by way of referendum or legislation. But even in liberal New Jersey, many lawmakers don’t support such measures, believing that it is a “gateway drug” to other, more dangerous substances like heroin and cocaine.
New Jersey lawmakers will vote to place the referendum on the ballot in next year’s November elections.
Governor Murphy made the following statement:
“My belief that our current marijuana laws have failed every test of social justice and that the right course is to legalize its use by adults has not changed. I am disappointed that we are not able to get this done legislatively and that our failed status quo – which sends roughly 600 people to jail a week for possession, the majority of them people of color — will continue. However, I have faith that the people of New Jersey will put us on the right side of history when they vote next November. By approving this ballot measure before the end of this legislative session, New Jersey will move one step closer to righting a historical wrong and achieving what I have spent more than three years advocating for.”
They have my vote !!
This stuff is gevaldig. And no hangovers !!
This is really bad idea. When our car insurance goes up because of all the new DUI’s. Thank the Democrats for this bad idea.
So why doesn’t TLS put up a poll asking people if they would vote to legalize marijuana?
Let’s see what TLS readers would vote for
Thank you
Dems are all nuts. They have nothing but ways to destroying this county. And they are good at that.
I will never vote for a dem.
Current laws relating to robbery and assault unfairly target minority populations in New Jersey. We need to legalize robbery and assault in the name of Social Justice.
We have a tremendous Opiod issue within our state , and your going to allow this to become legal ? Wrong .
the Dumb just keep getting more and more insane i do not care if its is legal or not if the people want to get this bad enough lets just put it up for a vote so people with in any brains in their heads know its the kids that will vote this in . Kids Do Not Think about the consequences in the very end …..