For the past few months, Gov. Phil Murphy, who campaigned for office on a platform of legalization, and Democratic state lawmakers had been hard at work trying to garner support from state legislators. Yet the bill reportedly did not get the 21 votes necessary to pass in the state senate, with some lawmakers concerned that legalization could pose a threat to public safety. Another vote likely won’t take place until at least November, according to Sweeney.
Marijuana legalization has garnered a great deal of support from New Jerseyans, 6 out of 10 of whom support legalization, according to a Monmouth University poll from last month. (Nearly three-quarters also support expunging previous criminal offenses related to marijuana possession, according to the poll.)