New York and New Jersey Governors Call for Marijuana Legalization
- Cuomo in N.Y. and Murphy in N.J. call for fairness and revenue
- The neighboring states may have differences in their laws
Photographer: David Ramos/Getty Images
The Democratic governors of New York and New Jersey each set goals to legalize recreational marijuana as part of their 2019 agendas, declaring in separate State of the State speeches Tuesday that new laws should raise state revenue and redress past criminal and economic injustice.
“We must ensure that those with a past mark on their records because of a low-level offense can have that stain removed,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who advocated legalization of pot during his 2017 election campaign. He cited thousands of jobs created and billions of dollars in tax revenue reaped in Massachusetts and Colorado, two of 10 states where pot is legal. “We can do that here, and in a smart way that ensures fairness and equity for minority-owned businesses and minority communities.”