Legal weed won't happen right now in N.J. Lawmakers call off big vote.
Source: Advance Media/NJ.com
Top state lawmakers have canceled a planned vote Monday on a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older in New Jersey, saying they simply haven’t gathered enough support in the state Senate.
But they vowed to take up the measure — one of Gov. Phil Murphy’s signature proposals — at a future date.
“We’ll be back at this," state Senate President Stephen Sweeney,
D-Gloucester, said at a news conference shortly after the vote was called off at the Statehouse in Trenton. "Anybody who thinks this is dead is wrong,”
...
NJ Advance Media was the first to report Sweeney called off the vote. He made the call after it became clear the Senate — the upper house of the Democratic-controlled state Legislature — would remain a handful of votes shy of the minimum 21 needed for passage.
Read more: https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2019/03/legal-weed-wont-happen-right-now-in-nj-lawmakers-call-off-big-vote.html
Another huge buzzkill in a week of huge buzzkills.
WTF? New Jersey? Half the state is always high and the other half is looking to score. JHC, what the fuck happened to this state, this country?
Bizarro America.
At least calling off the vote will give them the choice to call it again instead of waiting to put on the ballot next election.
I want the medical marijuana reforms made NOW. No use waiting any longer. The medical reforms have very broad support. Maybe with the Democrats in full control of both houses of the legislature and the governor's mansion they'll be able to at least accomplish that light lift.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
doompatrol39
(428 posts)..I am a lifelong NJ resident. This is idiotic, and is going to cost us in the next election, especially among young people.
Dems have full control of the state. Every single aspect of it. Nobody wants to hear about "big tent" or "different constituents" or whatever other bullshit.
Basically even with full Dem control, deep blue, Democratic stronghold NJ is as progressive on this issue as a state like Utah.
Zero excuse for this.
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)I had the opportunity to speak with the five time mayor of Montclair who is a HUGE legalization proponent and I got the feeling even he was concerned the votes weren't there.
This is, as you say, going to cost us next election. We look like we can't lead even without opposition. Sweeney kissed christie's ass for eight years but now, suddenly, he's fighting his own governor.
Stupid, stupid, stupid is right.
doompatrol39
(428 posts)...he needs to go. I don't care if he is a Dem, he is a horrible leader in every possible way.
Murphy made it clear that this was a priority for him, nobody in the party fought against him when he brought it up, they all campaigned with him and everything else. And now that it comes time they want to run and hide. Pathetic.
I'm most disappointed in Dick Codey. I've always liked him and thought he was a straight shooter who really looked at issues holistically and was a really empathetic person. Especially with his awareness of and focus on mental health issues which this is a huge aspect of.
This changes all of that.
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)The South Jersey power brokers are broke. They have no problem going along with chris christie on sports betting legalization but Murphy is a bridge too far.
You can't make this stuff up.
I conversed with Dick Codey a few times over the years. He was always one of my favorites.
New Jersey is making a pittance from sports gambling revenue. We could be making 100s of times more in state revenue from legalization. Why is gambling OK and legal pot not OK?
They can make more from legal gambling than they can from illegal gambling.
They can make more from illegal pot than they can from legal pot.
Another example of capitalism at its finest.
I also LOVE the people who wail about "the children!" The children can get pot easier than beer. Beer is legal. Pot is not.
Oh, and one other thing for the "the children!" clowns - since when are our adult activities based on your inability to properly supervise your own children?
doompatrol39
(428 posts)..and honestly I know a lot of people are thinking Big Pharma is against this and that's why NJ is dragging it's feet but I have family in that industry and they've said that it's really not as big a concern from what they are hearing. I think in NJ's case it's the police unions who don't want to lose a revenue stream from pot arrests.
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)All those awards come in handy when you're a cop. Who you gonna' believe? That highly decorated cop or the guy he just blew away?
The NJ trial lawyers association was against legalization too - because legalization would cut too deeply into their profits!
Cops love easy busts. Trial lawyers love easy profit. A match made in hell.
jayfish
(10,039 posts)Just put it on the ballot and be done with it.
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)Fighting crime. LOFL
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)After this fucked up week, I need it. I wish you could all join me - like back in the 60s. Back when we believed this nation still had a chance.
We must have been high! 
RobinA
(9,888 posts)Just never got a good feeling about this. And NY is down the drain. What's a Pennsylvanian to do? 
BumRushDaShow
(128,748 posts)that the proposal had something like a $42/oz tax. 
Maxheader
(4,371 posts)Cuz they definitely don't want pop legalized...
https://www.google.com/search?ei=r2SZXNGrIpKSsAWy7aDICQ&q=pharmaceutical+companys+object+to+marajuana+legalization&oq=pharmaceutical+companys+object+to+marajuana+legalization&gs_l=psy-ab.3...235.13219..13427...1.0..2.912.11075.0j4j19j8j0j2j2......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0j0i67j0i131j0i10j0i13j33i22i10i29i30j0i22i30j33i10i299j33i10i160j33i22i29i30.hWv8W9FFZ0o
The Wizard
(12,541 posts)is one of NJ's largest industries providing bribe money to legislators from both parties.
Hotler
(11,412 posts)The Wizard
(12,541 posts)is a big fund raiser damaging otherwise innocent people.
