About two-thirds of Garden State voters approved a ballot measure in November to legalize recreational use of marijuana for residents 21 years old or older.
Both houses of the legislature signed off on the constitutional amendment last month.
But Murphy balked at signing the new law on Jan. 1, claiming the measure lacks language on enforcement details for underage marijuana users, according to NJ.com.
During his state of the state address, Murphy called the proposal “an innovative and groundbreaking set of laws to reform our historically unjust approach to marijuana and cannabis.”
“Two months ago you all voted overwhelmingly to legalize adult use of marijuana and begin the process of ending the racial imbalance that disproportionally penalizes black and brown people arrested for marijuana offenses,” he said.