As of Monday the state has legalized cannabis use and possession for adults, and residents can expect a regulated cannabis marketplace.
New Jersey officially legalized marijuana on Monday as Governor Phil Murphy signed three pieces of legislation that permitted cannabis use and possession for adults in the state. The laws came over three months after New Jersey residents voted to legalize adult use of marijuana in November. New Jersey previously allowed marijuana for medical use. “Our current marijuana prohibition laws have failed every test of social justice, which is why for years I’ve strongly supported the legalization of adult-use cannabis,” Murphy said in a Monday statement. “Maintaining a status quo that allows tens of thousands, disproportionately people of color, to be arrested in New Jersey each year for low-level drug offenses is unjust and indefensible,” Murphy said. “Today, we’re taking a monumental step forward to reduce racial disparities in our criminal justice system, while building a promising new industry and standing on the right side of history.
