Jersey City doesn’t have any cannabis dispensaries yet, but the City Council will review an ordinance this week creating a 2% tax on medicinal marijuana sales.
While legislation legalizing recreational marijuana has stalled in Trenton, state law allows municipalities to levy a tax of up to 2% on medical marijuana sales. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop tweeted over the weekend that the tax revenue generated from such sales would be directed toward affordable housing efforts in the city.
With the City of Jersey City and Jersey City Public School (JCPS) facing a 2021 budget that will almost certainly be worse than 2020, Ward E Councilman James Solomon and Councilman At-Large Rolando Lavarro are calling for Mayor Fulop and the entire City Council to dedicate any revenues generated by a local marijuana tax to the Jersey City Public Schools.
A new shop offering organic CBD products for both humans and pets posted on Instagram this month saying it will open in the near future in Jersey City Heights.
Heights Hemp, a ground-floor store at 487 Palisade Avenue, posted a video tour of the location, saying they were adding the “finishing touches.”
An earlier post in July noted that they will sell “Head and Heal CBD tinctures for people and pets” as well as “any and all things CBD related.”
Historically marijuana has been the victim of bad press, scary stories about the social and moral impact it had on users. Once consider at gateway drug – the first step towards harder drugs – marijuana has recently received a reprieve. Part of its bad press came from the fact that to buy marijuana, you were often required to seek out dealers who often also dealt harder drugs.
But even this is something of an illusion since many marijuana dealers made up a cottage industry, supplementing their income by selling to people they knew at the local bar or even at their workplace.
A property in a Jersey City industrial park that was expected to be converted into a bowling alley and brewery might instead be used for an entirely different purpose.
The city confirmed the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey's report of 13 people arrested as a result of the raid. Scalcione said police recovered approximately 35 pounds of marijuana, in addition to:
Police in Jersey City last week raided a black market marijuana "pop-up" event — of the sort chronicled in a recent USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey report — described by police as a literal "market" where weed was sold in various forms.
At least 13 people were arrested late April 25 and April 26 on various marijuana charges, stretching from possession of under 50 grams of pot to possession of over 50 grams with the intent to distribute, according to municipal court records.
A full legalization bill in the works in the state legislature will not receive the support of at least two mayors if the final legislation doesn’t provide for the expungements of possession and distribution of up to 50 grams of cannabis, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) said.
Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop (D) said at a press conference that they would exercise their municipal authority and ban dispensaries from operating in their cities if they aren’t satisfied with expungement language in legalization legislation.
The event was CannaGather, a monthly mixer of industry insiders and outsiders gathered to discuss, advocate, and dream about expanded legal use of cannabis.
“There’s so many benefits that would help people like myself,” said two-time Super Bowl champ and retired Giant Jonathan Casillas. “I’ve played football for 17 years, nine professionally, and I’m an undersized linebacker who’s always had issues staying healthy.”
One subway stop from Manhattan, two New Jersey cities stand to score big from recreational marijuana. But they may get scooped on sales as mayors push state lawmakers for more public-safety money and justice for residents with criminal pot records.