Nearly half of New Jerseyans want legal recreational marijuana, new poll finds

The new governor of New Jersey promised to legazize recreational marijuana when he got into office and a recent poll shows that his constituents support him. Lawmakers in the state have introduced and supported several different legalization bills but have not narrowed down support for just one, so it's hard to say exactly what recreational cannabis will look like in New Jersey yet. The polls showed that 49% of respondents support the recreational legalization of cannabis while 44% opposed. Though a majority have shown support for legalization it's hard to say exactly if voters will say YES to retail cannabis given the chance at a ballot question. Supporters are interested in expanding access to cannabsi to allow safer and alternative options to illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco as well as increasing tax revenue.

According to a new poll by the Stockton Polling Institute of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, 49 percent of respondents backed legalizing recreational marijuana while 44 percent opposed such a move. Five percent of respondents were unsure.

The survey comes just months after the inauguration of Gov. Phil Murphy, a progressive Democrat who made a campaign promise to legalize recreational marijuana, saying it was the right thing to do from a social justice perspective and that it would generate tax revenue.