Lawmakers in New Jersey could vote on a cannabis legalization bill as early as next month but its success is not yet guaranteed, according to a NorthJersey.com report.
New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney said on Wednesday that he expects to get enough votes to pass the measure when it’s ready, but the bill hasn’t been finalized and so, technically, lawmakers could still find enough faults with the bill to turn it down.
“We’re getting very close to having a product that we can share with members so they can see what we’re talking about. You’re never going to get anybody to say they support this or this until they actually see the bill.” — New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D, District 3), via NorthJersey.com
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was elected last year on a campaign promise to legalize adult-use cannabis and had previously called for the Legislature to take action on the issue by June 30.
A recent Quinnipiac p0ll found that while some 62 percent of New Jersey citizens want to legalize, only 50 percent said they would approve of cannabis being sold in their towns. And, according to an NJ.com report, more than 30 municipalities have already passed bans on cannabis sales.
A spokesperson for Gov. Murphy said that the governor still “believes legalization is the right choice for New Jersey.”
“Gov. Murphy and the Legislature are working closely together to proceed with legalized adult-use marijuana in a safe way that makes the state fairer, prioritizes that safety of New Jersey residents, and respects local communities.” — Alyana Alfaro, spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy, via NJ.com