New Jersey governor says he tried cannabis ‘once or twice’

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has lifted the haze over whether he’s ever used marijuana, admitting this week to having experimented with the drug “once or twice.”

The 60-year-old Democratic governor is pushing for the legalization of recreational marijuana and was questioned on Wednesday about whether he had ever taken a toke.

He answered by saying, “I’ve never been a marijuana guy,” but didn’t say whether he’d ever tried it.

Murphy’s response created a bit of buzz in the state that didn’t mellow out until Murphy took to Twitter to more directly answer the question on Thursday.

“Here’s the deal: I’ve tried marijuana literally once or twice many years ago, and I don’t have any desire to partake again,” Murphy wrote in a tweet Thursday. “But this effort isn’t about me — this is about social justice.”

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a fellow Democrat who noted on Twitter that he used to “smoke tons of weed” himself, said he doesn’t understand why politicians can be “cagey” on the question.

“1) I’m for legalization 2) social justice is important to me as well 3) I used to smoke tons of weed (ok maybe not tons since we are talking about quantities),” Fulop said in a tweet.

Legislation to allow recreational use of marijuana in New Jersey has not yet advanced.

Nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana.