Despite months of infighting and stalled negotiations, New Jersey's top lawmaker said Thursday the state Legislature could vote to legalize marijuana in the Garden State as early as next month.
"I think it's gonna be soon," state Senate President Stephen Sweeney told NJ Advance Media when asked if it's possible the state will legalize recreational pot use by the end of the year. "We'll have the legislation done. Then you have to do the regulations and everything else."
Sweeney, D-Gloucester, told reporters earlier in the day that he and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, "spent a lot of time" over the last week speaking with sponsors of the legislation.
Sweeney said they hope to have a final draft next week, hold hearings after that, and have the Legislature vote in September.
