With just a few days left for Gov. Phil Murphy and Democratic lawmakers to fulfill voters' wishes to legalize marijuana, they've gotten hung up on details that could add yet another delay to what's been years of failures and setbacks to bring the drug to the marketplace.
Murphy said Monday that there were "technical but important" issues with a bill to decriminalize marijuana that the Legislature sent him earlier this month.
That bill is separate from another one to regulate the sale of marijuana, but Murphy has been expected to sign them in tandem by Jan. 1.
Murphy's office wants to include penalties for possession of marijuana by people younger than 21 years old, according to three aides in the Legislature and the governor's office familiar with discussions. Politico New Jersey first reported the hang-up Monday.
When asked about the dispute over youth possession, Murphy said he's trying to "wrinkle out" issues with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester.