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Cannabis in New Jersey is legal for both medical use and recreational use. An amendment to the state constitution legalizing cannabis became effective on January 1, 2021, and enabling legislation and related bills were signed into law by governor Phil Murphy on February 22, 2021.
The state legislature tried to legalize cannabis during its 2018-19 session, but was unsuccessful. Instead, the legislature placed the issue before the voters as a referendum on the 2020 ballot. Known as New Jersey Public Question 1, the referendum passed with 67% approval. As a follow-up to passage of Question 1, in December 2020 the legislature passed legislation creating a recreational marketplace.[1][2][3]
Disagreements between the governor and legislature over the lack of underage penalties in the legislation decriminalizing cannabis led to the effective date of cannabis legalization being delayed from January 1 until February 22, and police continued to arrest residents for marijuana offenses regularly during that time period.[4] On April 21, 2022, licensed sales of recreational cannabis began.[5]
- ^ De Avila, Joseph; Berger, Paul (November 3, 2020). "Ballot Measure to Legalize Marijuana Passes in New Jersey". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "2020 elections results". NBC News. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ Hoover, Amanda (November 3, 2020). "Election 2020: N.J. voters approve legal weed ballot question". NJ.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
- ^ Hoover, Amanda (February 16, 2021). "While NJ legal weed bill is stalled yet again, marijuana arrests continue". NJ.com. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ "'Today is absolutely historic': Legal marijuana sales roll out in New Jersey". TheGuardian.com. April 23, 2022.