It’s expected that New Jersey cannabis legalization will happen this year and the state's pot-friendly governor is eager to get the ball rolling. Gov. Phil Murphy says that legalizing marijuana will help to right the wrongs done by the war on drugs and allow law enforcement to focus on serious and violent crimes.
"The criminalization of marijuana has only served to clog our courts and cloud people's futures, so we will legalize marijuana. And while there are financial benefits, this is overwhelmingly about doing what is right and just." Medical marijuana is already legal in the state but lawmakers have yet to agree on cannabis legalization for adult use, aka recreational use. Taxes and criminal justice are the two main issues slowing down the legislative process.