EDITOR’S NOTE: Entrepreneurs everywhere are eyeing the billion-dollar legal weed industry, an economic opportunity unrivaled in modern N.J. history. NJ Cannabis Insider features exclusive and premium weekly content geared toward those interested in the marijuana industry. View a sample issue.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday said he’s “optimistic” about long-delayed plans to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey, days after NJ Advance Media reported that the state’s leaders have come to a tentative agreement on how to make legal pot.

Still, Murphy stopped short of saying details of a deal have been ironed out and wouldn’t speculate on how soon state lawmakers could vote on the plan.

The governor said he and his fellow Democrats who lead the state Legislature had a “very constructive meeting” on the issue Thursday.

“I think, I would say, optimistic,” Murphy said at an unrelated news conference in Piscataway. “But we’re still trying to machine this to get it over the goal line. But I think we’re all working really hard to get this done."

Sources told NJ Advance Media on Friday that after months of disagreement, Murphy and top lawmakers reached a deal in principle on a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate weed in New Jersey.

The measure would tax pot by the ounce, rather than institute a percentage-based sales tax — an issue that long divided Murphy and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester.

State Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, the main sponsor of the bill, confirmed Friday there was an agreement in principle but stressed “we don’t have a final deal.”

Like Murphy, state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex — the other top elected official involved in negotiations — wouldn’t go as far as saying a deal is done but agreed that Thursday’s meeting was “very productive.”

“And I think we’re all optimistic about being able to get the ball over the goal line,” Coughlin said while standing next to Murphy in Piscataway on Tuesday.

Murphy and Coughlin both stressed that New Jersey would be only the second state, after Vermont, to legalize pot through the legislative process rather than having voters decide at the ballot — and that, they said, makes the process more difficult.

“This is complicated,” Murphy said. “We’re standing up an entire industry from scratch."

Added Coughlin: “We want to make sure we get it right. We want to make sure we have a bill in place that people can support.”

Both houses of the Legislature — the Senate and Assembly — would have to pass the bill before Murphy could sign it into law.

Though each chamber is controlled by Democrats, lawmakers in both parties have expressed concern.

It’s expected that Murphy and legislative leaders will have to lobby to drum up votes in at least the Senate. Murphy would not say Tuesday whether he’s begun doing so or if there’s a timeframe for a vote.

“We’ll come back to you when we know more," he said.

A Monmouth University Poll released Monday found 6 in 10 New Jersey adults support legalizing recreational marijuana — a small uptick from the group’s last survey on the matter, from last April.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.