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Former Gov. Jim Florio is adding a new title to his resume: adviser to a cannabis edibles manufacturing company.

Nuka Enterprises of Colorado is expected to announce Thursday that Florio will be joining the company's advisory board, and "will be supporting Nuka's expansion initiatives into New Jersey through his law firm, Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Capelli," according to a statement obtained by NJ Advance Media.

"The deal adds significant political and intellectual capital to Nuka's advisory board as the company brings its expertise, history of innovation, and market leadership to New Jersey," according to the announcement from Nuka Enterprises CEO Peter Barsoom.

"As the state moves rapidly toward adult use legalization and an expansion of medicinal programs, Governor Florio and Nuka will bring their insights, experience and resources to New Jersey legislators, organizations and businesses to ensure responsible development and implementation of new policies," the announcement said.

Recreational marijuana use is illegal in New Jersey, but policy and political changes signal prohibition may not last much longer.

Last month, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced an immediate adjournment of all marijuana cases in municipal courts statewide until at least September. And a bill legalizing adult-use marijuana is expected to reach the state Legislature by September.

New Jersey passed a law creating a medicinal marijuana program in 2010. Some 27,000 people are enrolled.

"The time for responsible change has come," Florio said in the same announcement. "The people of New Jersey have recognized and acknowledged the importance of cannabis legalization as a medicinal, social justice and economic issue. I am proud to be partnering with Nuka who have been recognized for their safe, innovative and progressive approach to the cannabis edibles market."

"I also believe in Peter Barsoom, Nuka's founder and CEO, who is a New Jersey native and a thought leader in the industry, promoting responsible consumption of legal cannabis in a regulated market that protects the consumer," Florio's statement said.

Barsoom, a former Wall Street financier, graduated from East Brunswick High School in 1988, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Nuka's 1906 product line includes the "artisanal chocolate formulations include GO for energy, HIGH LOVE for arousal, MIDNIGHT for sleep, PAUSE for relaxation and BLISS for euphoria," according to the company's statement.

"All of 1906's products employ a rapid-delivery technology that eliminates the long wait typical of traditional edibles, ensuring safe, predictable and enjoyable experiences every time."

Florio, a Democrat, is not the first politician to join the burgeoning cannabis industry.

Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner and former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld are board members for Acreage Holdings, a national cannabis grower, manufacturer and property manager. Acreage is working to expand medicinal marijuana operations in south Jersey with Compassionate Care Foundation, a medicinal marijuana dispensary.

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Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.