Be careful about lighting up just yet.
New Jersey law enforcement officials are warning residents that marijuana remains an illegal substance despite an overwhelming vote Tuesday in favor of legalization.
At the same time, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Wednesday also reminded police departments and prosecutors of the “broad discretion they already possess in handling low-level marijuana offenses.” In other words, now is not the time to crack down, either.
While the approval of Ballot Question 1 certainly paves the way for legalization, lawmakers in Trenton must still introduce and pass what is known as enabling legislation, which will answer the exact who, what, when and where of legalization. At the minimum, the approved amendment to the state constitution would limit cannabis use to adults at least 21 years old and would apply only to regulated marijuana products.
Other open questions include what will happen to existing criminal convictions, pending prosecutions as well as…
