New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lashed out this week against backers of legalizing marijuana in the state,

Christie called out Democrats, saying they are willing to "poison our kids" to receive "blood money" from the taxes legalized pot would bring in.

"We are in the midst of the public health crisis on opiates," Christie said Monday during a speech at a forum on substance abuse in Princeton.

"But people are saying pot's OK. This is nothing more than crazy liberals who want to say everything's OK. Baloney," he continued.

Leaders of the Democratic-controlled state Legislature are planning to introduce a bill next year that would legalize, tax, and regulate recreational marijuana.

Phil Murphy, the Democratic front-runner in this year's governor's race, favors legalization.

Christie has argued that marijuana is a gateway drug to harder substances. He says that the "latest data" shows a child who tries marijuana between the ages of 12 and 17 is 10 times more likely to be a heroin addict by the time he is 24.

A 2014 study found a 25 percent decrease in prescription drug overdoses in state with medical marijuana laws.

New Jersey has a medical marijuana program, and a panel advising the state Health Department is considering whether chronic pain should qualify people for medical marijuana.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said he and state Sen. Nick Scutar (D-Union), recently joined a coalition of lawmakers in a trip to Colorado where recreational pot is legal.

"The industry is so regulated there," Sweeney said. "It is harder to find it on the corner."

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