The stoned minority might help elect the next N.J. governor

And just like a puff of smoke (drifting out of a dorm room and blown through a empty paper towel roll with a dryer sheet stuffed in the end), marijuana prohibition in New Jersey is wafting away.

It feels almost ridiculous, knowing this, but it’s true: Democratic candidate Phil Murphy favors full, Colorado-style legalization, and he’s also the presumptive favorite to win the governor’s seat. (For the record, Republican candidate Kim Guadagno has stated she’s in favor of considering decriminalizing small amounts of pot, which is nice, but isn’t the full kettle.)

Anyway, I posited on Wednesday that marijuana might end up being a key issue in the race for governor. After all, nearly 400,000 adult New Jerseyans smoke weed at least once a month, according to a study done by New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform and New Jersey Policy Perspective. That amount of people could tip an election.

The question than becomes: Am I nuts, or could this really happen? Could the stoned minority be the difference-maker in the 2017 New Jersey governor’s election?

“I think it could be wedge issue,” said state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, who is the author of New Jersey’s legalization bill. “It’s a pocketbook issue in a lot of ways, to some people it’s cost savings measure, and to some it’s social justice issue.”

People vote with their pocketbooks, and marijuana legalization means more taxes coming in and more business opportunities. It’s a cost savings measure because the courts won’t be jammed up with minor marijuana offenses. And it’s a social justice issue because many people believe it’s a damn sin to ruin people’s lives over a joint.

Scutari was energized to hear Murphy, in his primary victory speech, address legalization, and address it in an energized manner.

You can’t get much stronger than that. All Scutari has to do is make sure he has the votes to get the bill to Murphy come November, something he believes will happen. And from there? “I’m hoping in first 100 days of the Murphy administration we’ll get this signed, sealed and delivered,” he said. “There’s light at the end of tunnel. Right now we’re getting the train ready.”

He’s doing that by getting hearings scheduled, the first one which would occur as early as next month.

Of course, a lot could go wrong here, namely Murphy might not win.

But if Murphy keeps mentioning legalizing marijuana - something over 60 percent of New Jerseyans favor, according to a 2015 RutgersEagleton poll, and with that number creeping up (Scutari said he’s seen indications it’s now closer to 70 percent) - he’s going to acquire a good chunk of those 400,000 stoned New Jerseyans. (Full disclosure: I am not one of them. Haven’t smoked any pot in over a decade, haven’t smoked on a regular weekly {OK fine, daily} {OK fine, pretty much hourly} basis in almost two decades.)

“It’s the kind of an issue that could really change the outcome of the election,” Scutari said. “And people who are engaged in the marijuana issue are generally engaged on the stances of the candidates. They know where people stand and they’re interested in the outcome.”

It’s kind of crazy, actually. I’ve been advocating, in print, for legalization since I started my career. I’m hoping to see this actually happen. Not only so people can smoke, but mostly so people don’t have to go through the legal wringer for doing so.

The days of anti-pot Chris Christie are almost over, and full legalization is legitimately on the horizon.

One last question, for now, for Scutari: After the bill is signed, will he invite the former governor out to share a few bong hits?

“I doubt it,” he said. “He’s a strong adversary against it, and that can’t be underestimated right now, but his time will pass.”

And, incredibly, so will the joints.