Contrary to what’s being said, lawmakers can still pass a bill legalizing adult-use of marijuana; it’s the wise thing to do
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” read a cable sent by Mark Twain from London to the press in the United States after his obituary had been mistakenly published.
The same could be said about the prospects for an adult-use cannabis law being passed by the New Jersey legislature. Media reports indicate that the bill is all but dead in Trenton and that the only alternative is a 2020 ballot referendum in the form of a constitutional amendment.
This conclusion is inaccurate. Lawmakers still have time to vote on the bill, and more importantly, they should. A constitutional amendment is not the answer to legalize adult-use cannabis in New Jersey.