Many clients have recently asked me, “How do I open a marijuana social lounge?” The short answer is you will need to apply for a cannabis retail license when the applications are published by the newly created New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (“CRC”).
So, How Do You Open Marijuana Social Lounges?
Fortunately, CREAMMA provides licensed cannabis retailers with the exclusive opportunity to offer one social space for patrons to consume marijuana on the same premises as the retail location – “cannabis consumption areas” (or “CCAs”) – like a bar allows patrons to consume alcohol. Sounds pretty cool, right? But wait, this is New Jersey, so one should expect government red tape before advertising the grand opening.
Under CREAMMA, only licensed cannabis retailers and medical dispensaries can even pursue legally opening a CCA. There will be no “stand-alone” CCAs in New Jersey.
Essentially, a CCA is a designated space operated by a licensed cannabis retailer or medical cannabis dispensary, for which both a state and local government “endorsement” (i.e., formal approval) has been obtained.
A local governmental entity (a/k/a “a municipality”) may authorize the operation of a CCA for the personal use, medical use, or both personal use and medical use of cannabis within its jurisdiction through the adoption of an ordinance.