NJ May Have Found A Way To Help Legalize Marijuana, Lawmakers Say

NEW JERSEY – It may just come down to banning a candy item – yes, a candy item – to help get marijuana legalized in New Jersey, lawmakers say.

Lawmakers say they may need to ban edibles like gummy bears that contain cannabis – and that children may find a little too enticing – in order to push the bill through.

Sources told Patch that it's something Senate President Steve Sweeney wants to explore and consider including when he tries to revive the marijuana legalization bill by the end of the year.

The last time he tried to push the bill through, Sweeney learned that lawmakers were very concerned about the availability of cannabis sweets that kids may find attractive.

“It looks like a candy but it’s a drug,” Sweeney told nj.com. “I saw what Colorado did with the packaging — making it very nondescript and unattractive to kids."

Other top lawmakers, meanwhile, say they're reviving legislative efforts to legalize marijuana in New Jersey, and they're ready to do it by the end of the year.

Gov. Phil Murphy echoed those remarks during an unrelated event in August, according to nj.com, saying he was "encouraged" to hear that Sweeney was ready to revive the bill and "count me all in to try and work toward that."

“I was happy to hear that," he told nj.com. "Getting something to happen sooner if we have a real shot at it, I’d be all in for that.”

If it's approved by January, pot wouldn't be sold in stores for another six months to a year after that because of the lengthy regulatory process that needs to be developed.

If marijuana legalization is going to happen, it needs both Sweeney and Murphy on the same page, scrambling to get the five votes needed to pass the legislation.

Efforts to pass the bill earlier in the year fell about 5 votes short. Read more: New Jersey Cancels Vote On Marijuana Legalization

Those no-votes included Sen. Richard Codey, the former acting governor, and Sen. Ron Rice, both D-Essex. Rice, a former police officer, said he prefers to decriminalize the drug.

It wasn't clear at press time what prompted the change of heart from Sweeney or if he's made progress in changing the minds of those five state senators.

Sources close to Patch say negotiations slowed to a crawl since the Murphy administration has been investigating whether corporations misused tax breaks in past years, including one company owned by Democratic powerbroker George Norcross, a close ally of Sweeney.

In May, Sweeney announced that lawmakers were giving up efforts to legalize marijuana on their own and that voters would be given a chance in a November 2020 referendum to legalize recreational pot. Lawmakers would have to amend the state Constitution to do it.

Two months ago, Murphy signed legislation designed to make medical marijuana more accessible to patients who could benefit from it. Read more: Murphy Signs 17 Bills Into Law: Huge Step For Medical Marijuana

They're also planning to expunge the records of many residents with past convictions.

Sweeney has said he wants to achieve progress on social justice reforms with legislation to revise procedures and eligibility for the expungement of criminal records.

"We want to move forward to help transform the state’s medical marijuana program and to achieve the progressive reforms for social justice,” he said.

Read more: 9 Changes To Expand Marijuana Access In NJ As Legalization Stalls