Some two-thirds of cities and towns in New Jersey have elected not to permit licensed marijuana retailers.
Localities had until this past Saturday to decide whether to allow retail operations or to bar them. Those municipalities that have chosen to opt out are free to reverse their position at any time.
The initial citywide moratoriums apply to the licensing of brick-and-mortar retailers. New regulations just issued by the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission forbid localities from imposing bans on marijuana delivery services.
Commenting on the towns’ decisions, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “These moratoriums only serve to protect and prolong the illicit cannabis marketplace. Time and time again, we have seen that consumers prefer to obtain cannabis products from safe, licensed, above-ground retailers. But, absent access to such facilities, the illicit market will continue to fill this void.”