TRENTON — Long-promised legislation that would legalize, regulate and tax the use of marijuana for recreational purposes in New Jersey is being unveiled Monday, with an eye toward approving it next year.

The bill probably won’t be passed until next year because Gov. Chris Christie is a vehement opponent. But Christie will be leaving office in January, when his second term ends, so the prospects for the bill’s passage depend on which candidate is elected governor in November.

All six Democrats on the primary ballot say they support legalization.

“I can say affirmatively that by 2018, we will have legalized marijuana in the state of New Jersey,” said Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, who was long reluctant to support the idea, until recently.

There’s more of a range of viewpoints among the five Republicans. Two of the longshot candidates, Joseph Rullo and Hirsh Singh, back legalization, while another, Steve Rogers, opposes it. The two with the strongest poll numbers are open to decriminalizing recreational possession but no further. [Read more at New Jersey 101.5]