New Jersey voters resoundingly approved a ballot proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in the Garden State.
Nearly 67 percent of voters said yes to Public Question 1 which would amend New Jersey’s constitution to legalize marijuana use, possession, cultivation, processing and distribution for adults 21 and older. Following the successful vote, the constitutional amendment will go into effect January 1, 2021, though this could happen sooner if legislation is passed before that time.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was one of the first to laud the vote as “a huge step forward for racial and social justice.”
NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri noted the harms of cannabis prohibition in New Jersey and welcomed the opportunity to refocus resources on socially beneficial initiatives.
“Law enforcement in New Jersey arrests more citizens each year for minor marijuana violations than almost any other state in the nation. By moving to end this fiscally wasteful and morally repugnant policy, state officials will now be able to prioritize law enforcement resources toward combating more serious criminal activities, better respect the personal freedom and civil liberties of their citizens, end the racist application of marijuana prohibition laws against communities of color, and direct new tax revenues toward important social programs such as education and infrastructure development,” he said.