New Jersey Enacts Laws Implementing Marijuana Legalization
On February 22, 2021, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed three bills into law regulating cannabis. The laws:
Legalize and regulate cannabis use and possession for adults 21-years-old and older (NJ A21 "The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act").
Decriminalize marijuana and hashish possession (NJ A1897).
Clarify marijuana and cannabis use and possession penalties for individuals younger than 21-years-old (NJ S3454).
The enactment of three new statutes creates a framework for a legal recreational marijuana industry and adjusts criminal law to allow for adult possession and use. The state already has a longstanding medical marijuana program.