New Jersey’s 565 municipalities have until Aug. 21 to decide whether or not to permit legal recreational cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions.
As we discovered last month, many towns and cities are choosing to pass “opt-out” ordinances, or bans, that would prohibit all of the six classes of legal cannabis businesses approved by NJ voters last year. Many municipal leaders site the fact that the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission hasn’t yet set rules for the industry, and so they’re hesitant to dive into legal weed without them; or, at least, they want to see how the industry plays out in other towns.
If a municipality formally opts out, it can choose to opt in at any time in the future. If it does nothing before the Aug. 21 deadline, it must wait five years to enact an opt-out ban.
As decision day looms, most municipalities in the state are opting out, but a handful are taking steps (or considering them) to welcome in the industry. Municipalities can choose to allow businesses in any or all of six classes: cultivation, manufacturing, wholesaling, distributing, retail sales and delivery.
Here’s a list of New Jersey cities and towns that have opted in to recreational cannabis sales, or are leaning in that direction and will soon vote on an approval ordinance. But things change quickly, so let us know if permissions have changed in a city listed here or if we missed one (or several).
Absecon: Would allow some classes.
Atlantic City: Would allow some classes, but banned from Boardwalk.
Bass River: Certain classes would be allowed.
Bayonne: Two retailers, one grower and one processor would be allowed.
Bloomfield: Would allow up to six retailers, pending approval Aug. 16.
Bordentown.
Butler: Would allow retail sales.
Cinnaminson: Would allow all classes.
East Newark: Would allow up to two cannabis businesses for each class.
Eatontown: Would allow three retail businesses..
Edison: Considering allowing all classes on Aug. 19.
Egg Harbor City: Would allow all classes, to be considered Aug. 12.
Egg Harbor Township: Would allow retail and delivery licenses.
Ewing: Some classes would be allowed.
Flemington: Would allow commercial and cultivation licenses.
Franklin Township: Would allow all classes
Freehold: Would allow some classes.
Galloway: Would allow retail sales.
Haledon: Would allow all classes.
Hoboken: All but manufacturing, cultivating and delivery businesses would be allowed.
Hopewell: Considering allowing cultivation licenses only.
Jersey City: All but delivery-based businesses would be allowed.
Lakehurst: Considering where to site cannabis businesses.
Lambertville: Only retail sales would be allowed.
Lower Township: Would allow retail and delivery businesses.
Montclair: All license types would be allowed.
Neptune: Up to three businesses would be allowed.
New Brunswick: Would allow all classes.
Newton: Would allow some classes.
North Bergen: Would allow all license classes, except delivery.
Parsippany: Would allow wholesale and distribution businesses.
Passaic: Would allow packaging, wholesale and delivery businesses.
Plainfield: Would allow some classes.
Rahway: Would allow some classes.
Red Bank: Would allow all classes.
Rockaway Township: Would allow all classes.
Roselle: Would allow some classes
Scotch Plains: Would allow some classes.
Somerville: Would allow only retail businesses.
South Toms River: Would allow all classes.
Trenton: Would allow retail, wholesale and cultivation businesses.
Vernon: Would allow some classes.
West Cape May: Would only allow retail sales.
West Milford: Would allow some classes.
West New York: Would only allow retail sales.
West Orange: Has indicated it will allow certain classes.
This list was last updated Aug. 12.