Capping cultivation licenses was a major point of contention between New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office and the state Legislature. The limit of 37 in the next two years was a compromise, according to Jeff Brown, executive director of New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Brown acknowledged that the limit will be something New Jersey will need to work around, but he stressed that the state has no limit on the amount of licenses that can go to microbusinesses, defined for cultivation purposes as places with 10 or fewer employees that span 2,500 or fewer square feet.
That could help New Jersey avoid running into supply issues despite the cap.
“I’m really hoping that we’re able to establish a very diverse marketplace with businesses of all sizes,” Brown said. “The microbusiness provision specifically, it isn’t necessarily an advantage, but it’s certainly a unique facet of our law that we can utilize to get new entrepreneurs in the market.”