New Jersey's attorney general announced that all marijuana cases in municipal courts around the states would be immediately adjourned until September at least, NJ.com reported.
Attorney General Gurbir Grewal wrote that his office is developing "appropriate guidance" for prosecutors, but did not say if arrests for marijuana possession would continue or not, the report said.
A bill in the New Jersey Senate that would legalize adult use of marijuana is expected to reach the Senate for consideration by September, NJ.com reported.
If the Senate passes the bill, the two actions could end prosecution of marijuana possession in New Jersey permanently, NJ.com reported.
Nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized marijuana altogether, and more than 50 localities in a dozen states have fully or partially decriminalized minor cannabis possession offenses, according to the Washington, D.C., nonprofit NORML.
In June, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced his support for federal legislation that would prevent the federal government from enforcing anti-marijuana laws in states that have legalized the drug. He has been pushing for legalization in his state to happen by the end of the year.
© 2022 Newsmax. All rights reserved.