Many New Jersey cities and towns are not waiting for the state to legalize recreational cannabis before enacting ordinances to regulate it.
In December, Point Pleasant Beach voted to ban sales of both medicinal and recreational marijuana. The Point Pleasant Beach cannabis ordinance prohibits businesses from selling medicinal or recreational marijuana within a quarter-mile of schools, churches, residential areas and marine commercial and general commercial districts. Doing so effectively bans all sales within town limits.
Berkeley, Hazlet, Old Bridge, Wall, and Garfield are among the other municipalities that have enacted ordinances prohibiting marijuana businesses. Three counties—Monmouth, Ocean and Cape May—have also formally opposed the legalization of recreational cannabis.
The number of municipalities giving cannabis the green light is decidedly smaller. However, two of the state’s largest cities, Asbury Park and Jersey City, have made it clear that they plan to welcome pot businesses.