EDITOR’S NOTE: On April 3, NJ Cannabis Insider will host an all-day live event, featuring industry leaders and the key voices who will shape the industry. Tickets are limited. More information.

After hours of backroom deliberation in Trenton on Monday, two legislative committees advanced a marijuana legalization bill to the full state Legislature, which is expected to vote on it next week. If they pass it, the measure would just need the governor’s signature to become law.

NJ Advance Media has reported that both the state Senate and Assembly are short the votes required for passage, but Gov. Phil Murphy has now entered the fray and is now helping swing votes. Legislative leaders have shown public confidence that they think legalization will pass on March 25.

So let’s take a look at the two possibilities and how that affects when weed sales could start in New Jersey.

What if weed is legalized next week?

Legalization is a misleading way to put it, at least at first. If lawmakers pass the bill next week, you wouldn’t be allowed to just start walking around with weed in your pocket the next day.

The measure gives regulators up to six months to make the specific rules of the industry and it wouldn’t be legal to use or possess marijuana until the rules are approved and sales start. Lawmakers have done this so as not to legitimize the marijuana black market.

If the bill were to pass next week, the first possible sales would likely be about six months after, assuming the existing medical marijuana dispensaries are approved to start selling to the public. The bill allows medical marijuana dispensaries to sell to the public as early as six months after passage as long as they get permission from the state and they have enough marijuana to sell to their patients first.

So, if a lot of things fall into place, you could buy in New Jersey by this fall. But as we’ve seen, things don’t always fall into place in Trenton.

What if the bill doesn’t pass this time?

We’ve heard from legislative sources that the Assembly is still a couple of votes shy of the 41 needed for passage and the Senate still needs a few more lawmakers to swing. There was also significant opposition from Republican legislators on Monday, including some who had been considered getable votes.

With less than a week before the scheduled vote, the governor and legislative leaders still have a lot of work to do to get the bill through.

NJ Advance Media had previously reported that if marijuana wasn’t legalized this spring it would likely go to the ballot for voters to decide. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney has since said that’s not going to happen.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said earlier this month that if they can’t get legalization done this month that he’d push it to after the election in November. If this happens, we’re looking at the summer of 2020 before weed sales could likely start.

A lot will happen in the next week as we approach the legalization vote, but if and when you’ll be able to legally buy marijuana is going to be in lawmakers’ hands.

Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion.

Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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

Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider.