With legalization of recreational cannabis on the horizon for New Jersey, several local governments have responded by preemptively passing ordinances banning or discouraging recreational marijuana sales or cultivation in their jurisdictions, while others have opened their doors. Because New Jersey is a home-rule state, municipalities are free to permit or prohibit the sale, cultivation and/or use of recreational cannabis within their borders. To date, twenty-six municipalities and three counties have staked their position on recreational cannabis.

Seventeen townships, including Berkeley in Ocean County, Old Bridge in Middlesex County and Wall Township in Monmouth County, have either approved a measure that imposes a blanket ban on recreational marijuana businesses or issued a resolution strongly opposing legalization of recreational marijuana. Seven other municipalities have discussed banning recreational marijuana, but have not yet done so. Monmouth, Ocean and Cape May counties have each issued resolutions opposing recreational marijuana legalization. Medical cannabis will still be fully legal for registered patients, however.

Only three of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities – Jersey City, Asbury Park and Atlantic City – have publicly indicated their support for legalizing recreational marijuana.