Last week, in a memo to police chiefs and local officials, acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin noted that New Jersey police departments "may not take any adverse action against any officers because they do or do not use cannabis off duty."
Police departments also can't fire or refuse to onboard employees simply due to the presence of cannabinoid metabolites in an officer's body fluids, Platkin added.
But during an unrelated press conference this week, Murphy stressed that aggressive action will be taken with any law enforcement officer found intoxicated on the job.
"This will be strictly enforced at both the state police and every local law enforcement - county, local or otherwise: there is no allowing anybody to show up impaired. Whether you're drinking, you've smoked weed, whatever the reason. Anybody who shows up impaired will be dealt with aggressively. It has been the case and it will always continue to be the case."
"Would I be open-minded to a legislative fix that would address this? The answer is yes," Murphy said.