When the citizens of New Jersey go to the polls later this year, they will have an opportunity to determine whether they want legal weed or not. After years of fighting within the legislature, lawmakers have agreed for a question to be added to the ballot. The results of that poll will determine whether or not the residents in New Jersey are ready to embrace cannabis for recreational purposes legally.
Although may think that a constitutional amendment may not cover enough ground compared to a legislative bill, this is just one of the many chances that the NJ citizens have to make their voices and votes count on this matter. Both houses of the NJ legislature agreed to let the voters decide on the issue of legalizing marijuana.
The bill passed both houses successfully in 2019 and the question will be put on the ballot. An interpretation suggests that the Cannabis Regulatory Commission would manage the cannabis sector in the State. This commission also oversees the medical marijuana program in NJ. Lawmakers agreed that the government would then decide the rules and regulations of cannabis in the State provided that the vote passes.
Infighting by the state government and legislature led to the State Senate President Stephen Sweeney to put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.
Not everyone is comfortable with the legalization of marijuana in New Jersey. Some people worry that the brevity of a ballot question may not successfully encompass topics like revenue and social justice.
Recreational Marijuana
In the past years, there have been many attempts to try and make marijuana legal recreationally in this state. After the medical program was legalized in the early 2010s, a conservative controlled government ascended into power with the then Gov. Chris Christie refusing to sign any legalization efforts into law.
Once the democrats took over, more efforts to legalize marijuana started. But, many legalization laws were proposed with no consensus on which was the best. Since then, many debates and attempts ensued, trying to determine how the program should roll out. However, the lawmakers remained undecided, with none of the bills getting close to being passed.
After almost two years of battle, plans for a referendum were put in effect. According to polls done in the state, 60% of residents support marijuana legalization, while 75% of the people polled support clearing all past pot convictions.
