Jersey joins New York in NOT being able to follow other states in allowing recreational martijuana use…
New Jersey’s top lawmaker said Tuesday he was giving up on the effort to legalize recreational marijuana through the Legislature and would instead put the issue up for voters to decide next year.
Senate President Steve Sweeney also said he would move forward with bills to expand the state’s medical cannabis program and expunge existing marijuana convictions.
During a press conference at the Statehouse in Trenton, Sweeney acknowledged he and other supporters of legal pot — including Gov. Phil Murphy — had failed to secure enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill. He said it now makes sense to put the issue to voters in 2020, when turnout will be the strongest.
“The votes aren’t there. I’m disappointed,” Sweeney said, but added: “The 2020 general election, I think, will be successful, and we will move forward with adult use.”
In doing so, Sweeney — a rival of Murphy’s and the Legislature’s top Democrat — killed one of Murphy’s top policy priorities and a central plank of his 2017 campaign for governor….
Last Friday 5/10/19…..
Gov. Cuomo said he isn’t confident New York will legalize the recreational use of marijuana this year because state lawmakers are getting cold feet.
“When the Legislature starts to say, ‘We need the governor to get us votes,’ that’s legislative code for ‘We don’t have the votes,’ ” Cuomo said Friday while touring the remnants of the old Tappan Zee Bridge.
He added he thinks recent comments from lawmakers are “troubling.”
Cuomo later said lawmakers are suggesting “that I need to twist arms” and “That’s a bad sign because arm-twisting doesn’t work.”….