Murphy was expected to sign the legislation, which could have led to a marijuana marketplace in about six months for people 21 and older, but he has so far declined to sign the bill, even though he had signaled his support for it.
The governor hasn't gone into detail about why he hasn't acted on the legislation, which he earlier indicated he supported. He said, though, that he wants to be sure that young people, particularly people of color, don't get “tangled up in our criminal justice system.” He also noted that the constitutional amendment approving recreational marijuana, which voters overwhelmingly approved in November, authorizes cannabis use only for those 21 and older.