TRENTON -- As many as 10 states could join Colorado, Alaska, Washington, Washington, D.C., Oregon and legalize recreational marijuana this year. On Tuesday, a New Jersey lawmaker will hold a press conference to discuss how a similar law might work here. Still, it's a safe bet legalization remains a long way off in the Garden State.

Here's a look at what likely needs to happen for New Jersey to legalize recreational pot.

1. Elect a new governor.

Gov. Chris Christie could not be any clearer than he already has: He will not legalize marijuana. He will not decriminalize marijuana possession. He is even leery of attempts to expand the medical marijuana program, calling it "a front for legalization." He leaves office in January 2018.

3. The President and U.S. Justice Department must stay the course and not interfere.

President Obama did not intervene when Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and and the District of Columbia legalized weed. It remains a "schedule 1" drug, which means in the eyes of federal law enforcement, marijuana is dangerous, holds no medicinal value and is illegal. There are bills pending in congress to reschedule marijuana which would change the entire conversation, but Obama has not signaled this is a priority before he leaves office. And there's no word on what a President Clinton or Trump might do.

Employees help customers at the crowded sales counter inside Medicine Man marijuana retail store, which opened as a legal recreational retail outlet in Denver on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. Colorado began retail marijuana sales on Jan. 1, a day some are calling "Green Wednesday." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

4. Try a test case in Atlantic City?

One of the many strategies suggested to save Atlantic City from economic ruin has been to legalize recreational pot for adults 21 and older in this resort city. A weed-friendly AC has supporters in the city and the state Assembly, although legislation has stalled.

Some lawmakers have floated the idea of legalizing marijuana in Atlantic City to boost revenues for the resort town. Chelsea Malone, Miss West Virginia 2015, waves to the crowd as she is introduced during the 2016 Miss America Arrival Ceremony at Kennedy Plaza on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)

5. Proponents must enlist more public support.

A Rutgers University-Eagleton Institute poll in June 2015 said 58 percent of New Jerseyans favor legalization. That helps, but in order to change the law, community leaders must campaign for it -- or at least not work against it. Supporters cite a social justice reason rationale; blacks and Latinos are just as likely to be arrested but minorities are more likely to get convicted on marijuana legalization offenses. Individual law enforcement officers have expressed both scorn and support for the idea. With Christie so vehemently opposed, objectors have not needed to make waves. But there is no telling if there will be an organized effort against legalization once its prospects for passage become more real.

Udi Ofer, Executive Director, ACLU of New Jersey, and other advocates for legalizing marijuana hold a press conference in the Statehouse prior to a hearing in 2015. Trenton, NJ. (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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