New Jersey Cannabis Business Applications

Officials from the Cannabis Regulatory Committee faced more than two hours of grilling from lawmakers Friday during their first hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in more than a year.

Legislators weren’t shy with their criticism. They accused the agency of pulling strings to reinstate the license of a major cannabis operator, being slow to approve applications, and holding the cannabis industry back with red tape.

The CRC opened up for applications for recreational cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and testing labs on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. By 1 p.m. the application platform was averaging 155 new users per hour.“We are happy to reach this milestone,” said CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown. “Applications are coming in, the platform is performing well, and we can officially mark the launch of the state’s recreational cannabis industry.

Exactly 296 days after New Jersey’s governor signed the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (the Act) into law, the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) began accepting license applications to operate specific cannabis businesses. The first day applications were accepted was Dec. 15, 2021, which date will undoubtedly go down in history and marks the first step toward creating New Jersey’s personal, adult-use cannabis market.

Local plant shop owner Shayla Cabrera is hoping to be one of the first people to acquire a license to grow cannabis in Jersey City.

Cabrera, 33, said it feels like a natural for her to enter into the cannabis industry as she already has experience in agriculture. She hasn’t found a suitable site as a cultivation facility yet, but she already has generated interest from retailers.

In Voorhees, the Township Committee and Planning Board are moving along amendments to the Township's cannabis ordinance as well as an overlay map showing where the cannabis businesses may be conditionally permitted.

The overlay map (below) shows the marijuana retailing area in red, largely along each side of Route 73, on parts of Haddonfield-Berlin Road and on Somerdale Road. Wholesalers, distributors and retailers would be conditionally allowed in the blue areas.

Hundreds of entrepreneurs have indicated they plan to apply for cannabis licenses in New Jersey. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission began accepting applications on Wednesday for cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and testing labs. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, 745 accounts had been created and 165 applications had been submitted.

New Jersey’s cannabis regulator says it’s tracking strong interest in new recreational marijuana license applications after opening up its online licensing platform this week.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) started taking applications from recreational cannabis growers, manufacturers and testing labs at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday.

“Almost 500 individuals and entities established accounts” within four hours of the platform opening, the CRC said in a news release.

“By 1:00 p.m. the application platform was averaging 155 new users per hour.”