Throughout the New Jersey gubernatorial race, Phil Murphy reiterated his pro-cannabis legalization stance as a platform issue. His staunch support of recreational marijuana caused some to question if Murphy had ever lit up himself. Now, the NJ Gov finally reveals if he’s smoke marijuana.
Murphy successfully avoided the question throughout the election season and had remained elusive even when he become the New Jersey governor. But now it seems he’s willing to put the question to bed for good. He took to Twitter last week to reveal what many had been wondering.
“Here’s the deal: I’ve tried marijuana literally once or twice many years ago, and I don’t have any desire to partake again,” Murphy tweeted. “But this effort isn’t about me—this is about social justice.”
He added: “There are 24,000 marijuana-related arrests each year in NJ, with black residents arrested at three times the rate of white residents. NJ has the largest black-white incarceration gap in the nation—that’s shameful, and legalizing marijuana is critical to reducing that disparity.”
Here’s the deal: I’ve tried marijuana literally once or twice many years ago, and I don’t have any desire to partake again. But this effort isn’t about me – this is about social justice. https://t.co/OdT3LLrVks
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 3, 2018
Murphy’s tweets were in response to a similar question he faced the day prior when reporters had inquired, yet again, about his personal relationship to marijuana, to which his response was, yet again, obtuse.
“If this were [the] legalizing of scotch or Irish whiskey, I would not need any advice. I’d know exactly what to do,” he told reporters. “I’ve never been a marijuana guy. This is for social justice, overwhelmingly. And that has to be our driving reason.”
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Related Story: The 5 States With The Highest Marijuana Arrest Rates
Though Murphy said he would strongly push legalizing recreational marijuana in his first 100 days, legislative leaders in his own party haven’t been so eager. However, New Jersey is still among the top choice among analysts to legalize marijuana this year.
