How Gloucester Township Voted On NJ's Marijuana Question

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — When the state was considering legalizing marijuana for recreational use last year, the Camden County Mayors Association put together a forum to clear up some questions surrounding the issue.

They brought in medical experts, law enforcement, and local officials to discuss the issue. Members of the public spoke out on both sides, covering the impact legalization would have on social justice, and health and safety issues. Read more here: Prohibition, Safety Discussed At Marijuana Legalization Forum

The discussion came as the state legislature was weighing a plan to legalize recreational marijuana use by adults 21 and over. The legislature ultimately decided to let voters weigh in on the matter.

Earlier this month, voters across New Jersey approved an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution to legalize recreational marijuana use by adults 21 and older.

Statewide, voters approved the measure by a vote of 2,737,653 (67.08 percent) to 1,343,596 (32.92 percent), according to The Associated Press.

Gloucester Township residents overwhelmingly supported the amendment by a vote of 22,665 to 7,948, according to official results provided by the Camden County Board of Elections. Countywide, the vote was 172,531 to 56,667 in favor of the amendment.

The amendment legalizing recreational marijuana use by adults takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021. But state lawmakers and the Cannabis Regulatory Commission need to hammer out the finer points, such as how much marijuana people could legally possess and whether people will be allowed to grow cannabis at home.

Many experts estimate it would likely take at least a year and possibly longer before the first legal pot in New Jersey would be sold.

The approval of the question does not mean it's legal yet to use marijuana recreationally. Here's what Attorney General Gurbir Grewal had to say after the initial results came out on Nov. 3:

"All of the state's criminal laws relating to marijuana continue to apply, until, among other things, the Legislature enacts a law creating that regulatory framework. It is important that residents accurately understand the current situation, so they do not inadvertently engage in criminal conduct relating to marijuana — conduct that may be legal in the future once the Legislature acts, but is not presently legal based on yesterday's vote. While my office will soon issue additional guidance for law enforcement and prosecutors to address this situation, we have reminded them of the broad discretion they already possess in handling low-level marijuana offenses."

Medical marijuana patients remain the only people who can legally smoke cannabis in New Jersey at this time. Read more: NJ Voters Legalize Marijuana; Can You Be Arrested For Smoking?

With reporting by Eric Kiefer