Millville

Rich Marolda Jr., a borough resident and the owner of Best Budz Buena, criticized favoring conditionally licensed applicants. He said the decision would unfairly benefit larger businesses that could more quickly complete the state licensure process, disadvantaging local farmers interested in entering the marijuana industry. He also said the duration of the solicitation period for proposals, 30 days, was too short.

“The only people who have a chance to move that quickly in the process are the larger outfits,” Marolda said.

Now that New Jersey has legalized marijuana use and possession for adults 21 years and older, South Jersey municipalities have begun adopting their own rules to address use and sale.

And while, many towns are opting to ban it, some are now opening the door to the industry based on the promise of job creation and tax benefits.

Now that New Jersey has legalized marijuana use and possession for adults 21 years and older, South Jersey municipalities have begun adopting their own rules to address use and sale. Under the N.J. Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act towns have until Aug. 21 - 180 days from the adoption of the state law - to create any local enforcement structure. Towns that do not act by then will be governed by the state's law.

Here's how communities are responding in South Jersey:

City government is on the clock to decide whether the newly legalized cannabis trade in New Jersey will be able do business here and, if so, under what conditions over the next five years.

The issue already is on its way to the Planning Board, due to its expertise in land use law, to hash out the issues and recommend to the City Commission how to handle it.

A proposal from a Marlton company to open a medical marijuana growing and processing operation here now has official city support.

The City Commission on Tuesday night voted 5-0 in favor of sending a letter of recommendation on behalf of Garden State Releaf LLC to the New Jersey Department of Health.

The endorsement is based on a presentation from Garden State Releaf owners and representatives to the commission on Feb. 19, rather than a formal development plan. The company still would need to snag a state license in order to go ahead with its idea.

The proposal is a joint venture of Academy Medical LLC and Green Leaf Medical LLC. Academy Medical was incorporated for this venture with Green Leaf Medical, which will manage the cultivation facility and any dispensaries that open in other municipalities.

Green Leaf Medical is a Maryland-based company that already grows medical grade marijuana, or cannabis, in several northeastern states. Its search for a base in New Jersey has led it to a large building here at 1301 N. 10th St.