New Jersey Senate president gets behind legalizing marijuana

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney says he intends to take up the issue of legalizing marijuana in the state as soon as the next governor assumes office in 2018.

NJ.com reports Gov. Chris Christie has remained steadfast in his assertion that he will veto any bill to legalize marijuana in New Jersey.

The Republican governor has said he believes that medical marijuana, which has been legal in the state since 2010, is a gateway to recreational pot smoking.

Fresh off a trip to Colorado to explore the legal marijuana industry, Sweeney says he and other state lawmakers were impressed with how regulated, safe and profitable the business has been there.

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Sweeney says legalized marijuana could be a “game-changer” for New Jersey’s economy.

Christie’s term expires in January 2018.

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