Cities and towns in New Jersey have little time to make some tough decisions about the legal sale of pot. They have until Aug, 21 to determine if they’ll welcome recreational marijuana businesses with open arms, set limits through new ordinances or ban weed sales altogether.
This time last year legal weed was the big item on the ballot. Now, there are signs the recreational marijuana industry is ready to take off.
A cannabis company called The Apothecarium opened its flagship medical marijuana dispensary Friday in Maplewood with hopes to also serve the adult recreational market once legal weed sales begin.
The public got a chance to weigh in on the new adult-use marijuana industry for the first time since the state made pot legal.
Orange held a cannabis community meeting day on Sunday ahead of a recreational marijuana vote for the township.
Orange is just two days away from voting on a proposed ordinance that'll either allow or ban the sale of recreational marijuana in the town.
On Saturday, community members gathered at the Hubb to show their support for marijuana businesses.
A milestone for the state’s recreational marijuana industry: Monday marks the official launch of a powerful state commission tasked with regulating the new legal market, along with the state’s medicinal marijuana program.
Marijuana social lounges could be a new hang-out spot for cannabis enthusiasts now that recreational marijuana is legal in New Jersey.
It would essentially be a licensed public place where adults can partake in marijuana use with other adults.
“The town and state commission, cannabis regulatory commission, have to approve the cannabis consumption area to operate within the space of a retail operation,” says attorney Bill Beneduce.
Adult-use marijuana may have been legalized in New Jersey, but local zoning bans are just one of the obstacles business owners are facing as they try to enter the market. And some are concerned that Black-owned businesses will be shut out of the industry.
It took New Jersey years to become the first in the tri-state region to legalize recreational marijuana and it looks like it may already be losing its head start. This week New York’s governor and Legislature finalized a deal to make the drug legal for adults.
Another New Jersey town is trying to ban the booming legal recreational marijuana business.
The city of Orange has introduced a measure to keep cannabis shops out of the town. But a local business owner is rallying support from the community to block the legislation.
Brwnbox co-owner Ty Griffith started a petition in the hopes of getting Ordinance 14-2021 canceled.
“If Orange passes this ordinance, that’s sunk money,” he says.
Sen. Vin Gopal’s bill is geared toward anyone who wants to grow cannabis for recreational use. The bill pushes for up to six plants for recreational use and 10 plants for medicinal use.
“Anyone should be able to have access to this plant, whether it is for medical purposes or for your own personal use,” says Susanna Short.