On an unrelated, yet significant, issue that could have an impact on the quality of life, New Jersey legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes this year. Overall, 68% support this, which is similar to 65% who said the same a year ago and 67% of the electorate who voted “yes” on the legalization ballot measure last November. However, only a little more than half (53%) of the state public is aware that recreational marijuana is in fact legal. Another 11% wrongly believe it is not legal and 36% are not sure. The vast majority (86%) of New Jerseyans say this change in marijuana laws has had no impact on the state’s quality of life. Another 4% say legalization has made the quality of life better and 6% say it has made it worse.
“The early days of marijuana legalization have been barely a blip on the radar. We’ll see if that changes once production and retail outlets start opening across the state,” said Murray.