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New Jersey cancels vote on legalizing recreational cannabis due to lack of support

Published

8 years ago

March 26, 2019 - Updated on October 12, 2022

New Jersey came close to legalizing recreational cannabis yesterday, but the vote was cancelled due to a lack of support from legislators. Indeed, after months of negotiations on the content of the law (taxes, appointment of the commission's governing board, etc.), there was little time left to rally the votes needed for its approval by parliamentarians. There was therefore a risk that the bill would be rejected by a very narrow margin. To avoid this, the vote was simply cancelled.

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Close to the goal

A few days earlier, the governor had pointed out that he was 3 votes short in the General Assembly and 6 votes short in the Senate. According to Marijuana Moment, But it was mainly the senators who were reluctant. The proposed law would have legalized the possession, consumption and trade of recreational cannabis by licensed establishments. It also included social justice elements encouraging industry participation by individuals and communities most affected by the war on drugs. In addition, it provided for the expungement of the criminal records of individuals arrested for possession (<2.3 kg) and consumption of cannabis.

«History is rarely made on the first try,» lamented Governor Phil Murphy at a press conference. «I am certainly disappointed, but we are not conceding defeat... We all remain committed to the success of this proposal and to establishing our state as a national model of justice and opportunity because, ultimately, this is the right thing to do for New Jersey and the people of New Jersey are on our side.» Indeed, according to a recent survey, 62% of New Jersey residents are in favor of legalization.

https://twitter.com/GovMurphy/status/1110273824929525760

Legalization postponed?

Senate President Stephen Sweeney and General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin also remain committed to the bill's passage. It was with them that Murphy negotiated the final details of the proposal. two weeks ago. «The legalization of adult-use cannabis will pass in the state of New Jersey one way or another. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong,» said Stephen Sweeney. «We all remain committed to the passage of fair and responsible legislation that will be groundbreaking and become a national model,» added Craig Coughlin.

«Voters and legislators agree that we need to stop treating cannabis consumers like second-class citizens. Unfortunately, legislators» intransigence about how best to create a regulatory framework has resulted, at least for now, in the continuation of a misguided policy of criminalizing cannabis," explains NORML's Tyler McFadden. Indeed, New Jersey would have been the first state to legalize cannabis sales via its legislature and not by popular referendum.

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Vermont has legalized the recreational use of cannabis through its legislators, but does not authorize cannabis sales. A bill on the subject has been currently under discussion in the state. As for legalization in New Jersey, it will surely be reworked and re-proposed later this year in a form that everyone can agree on.