Sorting through the patchwork of local cannabis laws in New Jersey just got easier.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) announced Tuesday that it has launched a new Governmental Relations page on its website dedicated to providing resources and helpful tools that aim to help navigate municipal governments and their cannabis regulations.
Over 60% of New Jersey municipalities opted out of having cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions, as of last February, and many other allow only certain types of cannabis businesses to operate.
The new site features a searchable chart of municipalities that opted into New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis market, and there you can filter municipalities by county, and they are broken down by the types of business classes each municipality is allowing in their jurisdictions. It takes the guesswork out of searching for a viable business location.
“The NJ-CRC’s government relations webpage is a free and valuable resource to help cannabis business license applicants navigate local municipalities’ opt-in status regarding cannabis business license classes,” NJ-CRC Acting Executive Director Chris Riggs tells Forbes in an email. “The database will continue to see revisions as municipalities inform the Government Relations Office of updates needed—which is encouraged to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information. It is our aim to make relevant information equitably accessible for entrepreneurs and facilitate an informed application process.”
The commission establishes and enforces the rules and regulations governing the licensing, cultivation, testing, selling, and purchasing of cannabis in the state. The Cannabis Regulation, Enforcement, and Market Modernization Act, New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis law, allows for municipal rule, meaning that municipalities have the choice to opt in and allow or bar all or some categories of cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions.
“The NJ-CRC aims to be a consistent resource for local municipalities, their leaders, and state legislators in their efforts to make informed cannabis-related policy decisions,” said NJ-CRC Chief-of-Staff Jesus Alcazar. “The new webpage also reflects our commitment to free, fair, and equitable access to information for everyone.”
Ongoing Changes to New Jersey’s Cannabis Market
The search table data is a work in progress—compiled using self-reported information from municipalities and information gleaned from reviewing municipal websites. Revisions will continue as municipalities inform the Government Relations Office of updates needed.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission announced in August that the state will use part of its adult-use cannabis revenue to fund violence prevention programs in the state, showcasing how cannabis earnings can drive positive change in society.
Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin also announced last August that part of the revenue from legal marijuana sales in New Jersey will pay for one-third of a grant initiative focused on stopping and preventing violence within the state.
With $15 million available as grants to community organizations, $5 million comes from New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund, designed to invest in communities that were most affected by the marijuana prohibition, and consists of funds collected through taxes on legal marijuana sales, industry fees, and fines.
The new Governmental Relations portal helps better understand the fleeting changes in New Jersey’s cannabis market.
H/T: www.forbes.com
