City officials are already thinking big.
“Big is not even the word to describe it. We are in the position to become the No. 1 cannabis destination on the East Coast,” said Kash McKinley, aide to Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.
McKinley envisions a city where visitors can access the highest quality marijuana, and later infused edibles if New Jersey eventually allows those sales as well. McKinley cited Small as a driving force in this vision of the city as a leader in the new industry.
That will mean additional tax money, he said, but also local jobs and an influx of new visitors. That will help build neighborhood businesses, he said.
“One of the most important things to realize is you can’t get cannabis online,” McKinley said. Purchases will be made in person. Increased foot traffic will mean new life for other businesses.
Fundamental questions remain, and not everyone shares the expansive vision of the city as a cannabis leader.