New Jersey approves recreational cannabis

Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa) being grown in Queenstown, MD USA

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TRENTON, N.J. (NewsNation Now) — New Jersey voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana on Tuesday.

New Jersey now joins the District of Columbia and a dozen other states legalizing recreational cannabis, with Arizona approving marijuana on Tuesday as well.

Though people could legally buy and use cannabis under the constitutional amendment voters approved by a wide margin, it’s unclear how quickly the new market will be set up.

But the Democrat-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy supported legalization and are expected to move quickly to pass legislation establishing the marketplace.

Right now, 33 states have legalized medical cannabis, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Eleven of those states have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

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