New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced that he is open to banning off-duty police officers from using marijuana just days before recreational sales of the drug are set to begin Thursday.
Murphy made the announcement Monday, signaling to reporters that he is willing to listen to legislative solutions regarding the issue.
“Would I be open-minded to a legislative fix that would address this?” Murphy said. “The answer is yes.”
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The notion from the governor comes almost a week after New Jersey’s acting attorney general instructed the state’s police chiefs to withhold taking “adverse actions” against officers who use marijuana while off duty, according to a report.
“An employee shall not be subject to any adverse action by an employer solely due to the presence of cannabinoid metabolites in the employee’s bodily fluid,” a memo from acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin reads.
Murphy previously stated that police officers who attend work “impaired” would be dealt with in a deliberate manner.
“There’s no allowing anybody to show up impaired — whether you’re drinking, whether you’ve smoked weed, whatever the reason,” Murphy said. “That has been the case always, and it will continue to be the case.”
“The governor mentioned that we’re not inventing marijuana,” Platkin said while he was with Murphy at the Monday press conference.
“And we’ve provided guidance to law enforcement about how to handle, whether it be a stop or a search. And I think the overarching thing that we want to make sure that people understand is public safety continues to be at the forefront here.”
Marijuana is illegal under federal law, the report notes.
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However, recreational use of the drug is legal for residents 21 and older in New Jersey, according to a New Jersey constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2020.
