Legalized Marijuana NJ: In a vote that’s expected to generate $126 million a year, New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment that legalizes cannabis in the state. They authorized the legal use of recreational marijuana on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020, after many years of legislative failures.
The measure passed by a wide margin, and would essentially allow New Jersey officials to kick off the long and time consuming process of creating rules pertaining to the regulation and testing of cannabis, and to the issuance of licenses.
On top of New Jersey, Arizona, Montana and South Dakota also approved a ballot measure that legalizes recreational marijuana. A third of the country will live in an area where it’s legal to smoke pot without needing medical justification, if those states’ questions pass. This comes eight years after Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana.
The vote in New Jersey now pressures neighboring states such as New York and Pennsylvania, where officials have been dragging their feet. Lawmakers are pressured to address cannabis legalization, as they should either take action or lose the competitive edge to New Jersey. In fact, NJ is expected to become one of the largest marijuana markets in the nation.
But this doesn’t mean things will move quickly, despite a majority vote in November. For example, in Massachusetts, it took two years after voters approved non-medical use of marijuana to see the creation of the first legal dispensaries.
The question approved by NJ voters would involve a 6.6 percent state tax on sales of marijuana sales to anyone over 21, allowing cities and towns in the state to charge an extra two percent tax.
There were many failed attempts prior to putting the decision to a vote by NJ residents. But one big motivating factor is the potential for new jobs and extra tax revenue in a state that is still reeling from pandemic-fueled financial losses.
Proponents of the amendment say it would be a huge step forward in the fight against the drug war, with supporters citing high arrest rates as a big reason to change the existing drug laws. Opponents claim marijuana is a gateway drug and should not be legalized.
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