NJ Gov. Murphy joins campaign to convince consumers to buy legal weed

© Provided by WINS Radio New York People wait in line to enter Apothecarium Dispensary on April 21, 2022 in Maplewood, New Jersey. Today marked the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales in the state of New Jersey.

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday joined a new nationwide campaign called Buy Legal that aims to encourage consumers to ditch their dealers and buy legal weed.

“Like many other products, cannabis is not immune to the persistent illegal market, which poses a serious risk to consumers,” said Murphy. “This campaign will help protect the ability of local, regulated cannabis enterprises to continue to do business in a way that is safe and accountable, and protect the safety of consumers while reinvesting in communities.”

Murphy is the first elected official to join the campaign, which is a project by the U.S. Cannabis Council, marijuana trade associations and cannabis businesses.

Stay safe, and support your community. Buy Legal.

Learn more about Buy Legal here: https://t.co/g1AlwrJlTX pic.twitter.com/450PjCmIRb

— Buy Legal (@webuylegal) November 3, 2022

Unlicensed sellers aren’t subject to the same safety regulations, which can create health risks for consumers.

Gray market sales can also undercut legal sellers — especially small, independent dispensaries. That can open the way for domination by larger, interstate cannabis sellers to edge out local sellers, mitigating the local economic benefits of legalization.