CRC Releases List of Pro-Cannabis New Jersey Towns

May 14, 2024

Dan Ulloa

The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) has released a list of pro-cannabis towns for the first time.

About 209 towns in New Jersey allow cannabis companies out of 564 towns or about 36 percent.

“The new Government Relations web page reflects the NJ-CRC’s commitment to provide free, easily accessible, useful information for municipal leaders, state legislators. And prospective and current cannabis business operators,” CRC Chief of Staff Jesus Alcazar declared.

“The page features a searchable table of the municipalities that have opted to welcome licensed cannabis businesses. And the business classes they allow. As well as other instructive information to help municipalities participating or considering participation in New Jersey’s growing cannabis market,” he explained.

Alcazar initially was the CRC’s Director of Government Relations. He has since been promoted to Chief of Staff to replace Justin Rodriguez, who has since left.

CRC officials stated at a legislative cannabis hearing last year they started with 21 staffers and increased to 81. Their goal was to hit 135.

Pro-Cannabis New Jersey Towns by License Type

The list is broken down by the six classes of New Jersey cannabis licenses.

Class 1 Cultivator
Class 2 Manufacturer
Class 3 Wholesaler
Class 4 Distributor
Class 5 Dispensary
Class 6 Delivery

When they are allowed, consumption lounges will be features of dispensaries.

Testing Labs are not an official class of licenses. But they also cannot be operated without NJCRC approval.

CRC List Making Process

Any problem with the list not reflecting pro-cannabis towns should be blamed on the CRC. Heady NJ merely copied it.

(The CRC noted the City of Englewood was previously incorrectly noted as pro-cannabis, which has been removed.)

“The search table data is compiled using self-reported information from municipalities and information gleaned from reviewing municipal websites,” Alcazar explained.

“The database will continue to see revisions as municipalities inform the Government Relations Office of updates needed. We encourage them to do regularly to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information,” he added.

Alcazar also noted the list comes with a disclaimer:

“The information presented in the table may become outdated, and it is to be used for information purposes only. The NJ-CRC cannot guarantee that the information is complete, timely, or up-to-date. Readers should contact municipalities directly for their most current and accurate information about its own adult-use cannabis business license ordinances and laws. Municipalities are wholly responsible for cannabis business approvals in their jurisdictions and may at any time and at their own discretion allow additional classes of licenses, enact caps on licenses, or may have already awarded their full allotment of licenses. While the NJ-CRC license application requires applicants have municipal approval, the Commission does not have jurisdiction over the municipal processes.”

The List of Pro-Cannabis New Jersey Towns

County	Towns	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5	Class 6
Atlantic	Absecon	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Atlantic City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Buena	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Egg Habor City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Egg Harbor Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Folsom	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Galloway Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Atlantic	Hamilton Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Atlantic	Pleasantville	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Bergen	Carlstadt	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	East Rutherford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bergen	Leonia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bergen	Bergenfield	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Bergen	Cliffside Park	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Bergen	Edgewater	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Elmwood Park	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Englewood Cliffs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Fairview	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Fort Lee	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Garfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Bergen	Hackensack	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Bergen	Lodi	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Bergen	Maywood	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Moonachie	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bergen	North Arlington	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Bergen	Oakland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Bergen	Oradell	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Ramsey	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Ridgefield	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Bergen	River Edge	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Bergen	Rochelle Park	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Rutherford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bergen	Saddle Brook	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Bergen	South Hacksensack	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Teaneck	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Wallington	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bergen	Wood-Ridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Burlington	Chesterfield Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Burlington	Bass River Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Burlington	Beverly	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Burlington	Pemberton Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Wrightstown	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No
Burlington	Bordentown City	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Burlington City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Cinnaminson Twp	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Burlington	Delran Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Eastampton Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Edgewater Park	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Evesham Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Hainesport Twp	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Burlington	Lumberton Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Moorestown Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Mount Holly	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Mount Laurel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Burlington	Riverside Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Burlington	Shamong Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Burlington	Willingboro Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Burlington	Woodland Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Clementon	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Camden	Gloucester City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Barrington	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Camden	Bellmawr	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Brooklawn	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Camden	Camden City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Camden	Chesilhurst	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Camden	Collingswood	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Gibbsboro	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Gloucester Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Laurel Springs	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Camden	Lawnside	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Camden	Magnolia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Merchantville	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Camden	Oaklyn	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Camden	Pennsauken Twp	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Camden	Runnemede	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Somerdale	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Tavistock	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Voorhees Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Camden	Waterford Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Camden	Winslow Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Cape May	Lower Twp	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Cape May	Middle Twp	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Cape May	West Cape May	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Cape May	Woodbine	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Cumberland	Downe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Cumberland	Bridgeton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cumberland	Commercial Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cumberland	Fairfield Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cumberland	Greenwich Twp	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Cumberland	Millville	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Cumberland	Stow Creek Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cumberland	Vineland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Belleville	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Bloomfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	East Orange	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Fairfield	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Essex	Irvington	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Maplewood	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Montclair	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	Newark	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	South Orange	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Essex	West Orange	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	Elk Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Gloucester	Franklin Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Gloucester	Glassboro	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	Greenwich Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Gloucester	Logan Twp	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Gloucester	Monroe Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	National Park	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	West Deptford Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Gloucester	Woodbury	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	Woolwich Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Hudson	Bayonne	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hudson	East Newark	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hudson	Harrison	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hudson	Hoboken	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Hudson	Jersey City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hudson	North Bergen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Hudson	Secaucus	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hudson	West New York	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Hunterdon	Flemington	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hunterdon	High Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hunterdon	Lambertville	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Hunterdon	Readington Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Hunterdon	Union Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hunterdon	West Amwell Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
Mercer	Ewing Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mercer	Hamilton Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mercer	Highstown Borough	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mercer	Hopewell Twp	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Mercer	Lawrence Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mercer	Pennington	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Mercer	Trenton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	Carteret	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	Edison	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	Highland Park	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	Jamesburg	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Middlesex	New Brunswick	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	North Brunswick	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Middlesex	South Plainfield	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Middlesex	South River	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Monmouth	Aberdeen Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Monmouth	Eatontown	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Monmouth	Freehold Borough	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Monmouth	Highlands	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Keyport	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Long Branch	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Matawan	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Monmouth	Neptune City	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Monmouth	Neptune Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Red Bank	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Shrewsbury Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Monmouth	Tinton Falls	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Morris	Boonton Town	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
Morris	Butler	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Morris	Dover	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Morris	Jefferson Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Morris	Morristown	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Morris	Parsippany-Troy Hills Twp	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Morris	Pequannock Twp	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Morris	Rockaway Borough	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Morris	Rockaway Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Morris	Victory Gardens	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ocean	Lakehurst	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Ocean	Ocean Gate	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ocean	Ocean Township	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Ocean	South Toms River	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ocean	Surf City	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Passaic	Bloomingdale	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Passaic	Haledon	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Passaic	Little Falls	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Passaic	Passaic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Passaic	Paterson	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Passaic	West Milford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Salem	Carneys Point Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Salem	Lower Alloways Creek Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Salem	Oldmans Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Salem	Penns Grove	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Salem	Pennsville Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Salem	Salem City	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Somerset	Bound Brook	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Somerset	Franklin Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Somerset	North Plainfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Somerset	Somerville	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Somerset	South Bound Brook	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Sussex	Andover Borough	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sussex	Andover Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Sussex	Frankford Twp	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Sussex	Fredon Twp	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Sussex	Newton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sussex	Sussex	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sussex	Vernon Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Union	Elizabeth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Union	Linden	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Union	Plainfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Union	Rahway	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Union	Roselle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Union	Roselle Park	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Union	Scotch Plains	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Union	Springfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Union	Union Township	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Warren	Belvidere	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Warren	Frelinghuysen Twp	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Warren	Hackettstown	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Warren	Harmony Twp	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Warren	Oxford Twp	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Warren	Pohatcong	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Warren	Washington Borough	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Analyzing the List of Pro-Cannabis New Jersey Towns

Several towns like the idea of manufacturing and cultivating cannabis but not selling it at dispensaries.

About 51 of the 209 towns don’t allow dispensaries. That leaves only158 out of 564 towns that are in favor of cannabis dispensaries. This means that just 28 percent of all towns said yes, less than a third.

Nonetheless, 28 percent represents legitimate progress. It is especially true if you realize that federal marijuana prohibition began in 1937 or 87 years ago and counting.

Some towns opted out in August 2021 before the mandated deadline. Some, like Maplewood in Essex County and Dover in Morris County, opted in after the deadline. Thus, progress has been made slowly but surely in increasing the number of pro-dispensary towns.

But some towns don’t like cultivation, for example. Thirty-five towns out of the 209 pro-cannabis New Jersey towns don’t allow it.

Thus, one can easily drive through dispensary deserts in some counties like Ocean County where few towns opted in.

But then, you can go to dispensary clusters with distance issues where there might be too many.

Many New Jersey cannabis businesspeople and professionals expect some of the clustered dispensaries to fail.

In other places like Union County, more progressive Democratic towns opted in. But more traditionally conservative Republican towns opted out.

A few libertarian Republican towns like West Milford are also friendly to cannabis.

The NJCRC and Government Relations

The NJCRC has also created municipality Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

One thing they note is the regulations set by the NJCRC issued in August 2021. A few towns said they wanted to see them before opting in.

They highlight a lot of their key principles:

“Prioritizing applications from people with prior marijuana convictions, certified minority-, women-, and disabled veteran-owned businesses, and people who live or will operate in one of several designated Impact Zones or economically disadvantaged areas;

Flexible application requirements for microbusinesses and those applying for conditional licenses.
Application fees as low as $100;
Requiring cannabis businesses to contain odors and engage with neighbors who may have concerns about their presence, as well as create and implement environmental sustainability plans
Prohibitions on the use of harmful ingredients or chemicals in the cultivation of cannabis or the manufacturing of cannabis products;
Requiring cannabis businesses to have consumer education materials available for customers, including information on potential side effects of cannabis use, safe techniques for using cannabis, and indicators of substance abuse
Strict requirements that products sold in stores come with warning statements about potential health risks as well as the hotline for accessing poison control centers.”

Progress on Pro-Cannabis New Jersey Town Information

Many entrepreneurs and professionals have looked for such a list for some time since the CREAMMA bill implementing the licensed New Jersey adult-use cannabis market was signed into law in 2021.

Towns have a lot of power in New Jersey to allow or stop cannabis companies from being based within their boundaries. So, finding a pro-cannabis New Jersey town that will allow a company to operate is one of the biggest barriers to entering the legal cannabis market.

Most towns that allow them created “Green Zones” which might not include the best place to do business in town. Or they placed mandated distance requirements from schools, places of worship, parks, or homes that made finding an affordable place in town to do business a cut-throat competition.

The NJCRC only has a certain amount of influence to educate and persuade towns to be pro-cannabis. They cannot issue mandates demanding towns comply with their orders.

Town Politics and Problems

To do business as a licensed New Jersey cannabis company in town, you need a resolution from the city council.

So, to flip a town, you need people to charm the city council and mayor.

A unique coalition or political movement is often required to move each town.

Only a few lawyers, businesspeople, professionals, and advocates have taken up the task of seeking to flip multiple towns with varying results.

Pushing Through Public Policy Red Tape and Barriers

The catch with politics and government is how slow it can be to change and implement laws and regulations.

Issues with old laws, many officials, political pressures or lack thereof put on the elected official who appointed them, political opposition, and other priorities can slow the speed of progress.