Bills to legalize the recreational use of marijuana have been introduced in the state Assembly and the state Senate. Legalizing marijuana was part of Governor Phil Murphy’s campaign platform, and he continues to support the cause, but the debate over cannabis legalization in New Jersey continues, with opinions divided in the legislature and in the state at large.
The most recent Fairleigh Dickinson poll showed 42 percent of New Jerseyans favoring legalization for recreational use; an additional 26 percent saying it should be decriminalized, treated like a civil traffic infraction rather than a crime; and 27 percent supporting restricting the sale to medical use.