Nearly $1.4 million was spent on marijuana issues in 2018, a year in which Gov. Phil Murphy took office promising to expand the state’s medical marijuana program and legalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis for adult recreational use.
Murphy, a Democrat, did expand access to medical marijuana through executive action, but a bill to clear the way for a new billion-dollar cannabis industry remains bogged down in political wrangling. Spending by companies that stand to gain from legalization can be expected to remain high as negotiations continue and a new proposal is put before lawmakers.