First NJ vote today: Legal marijuana … and how NJ will tax it

TRENTON  — New Jersey lawmakers are set to consider legislation to legalize recreational cannabis.

A joint Democrat-led Assembly and Senate committee is scheduled to discuss the package of measures Monday.

The legislation legalizes an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and up, sets up a five-person cannabis commission and taxes the sale of cannabis at 12 percent.

That includes the 6.625 percent sales tax. The draft also allows towns and cities to apply for up to a 2 percent tax on cannabis.

Lawmakers dropped an earlier proposal to phase in a higher rate over five years from 7 percent to 25 percent.

The legislation also calls for expediting expungements for people with marijuana-related criminal backgrounds.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy supports legalization. His office didn't respond when the new legislation was unveiled Wednesday.

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