Gloucester County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Gloucester County?

Cannabis growing is allowed in Gloucester County. Cannabis use is legal in New Jersey for both medical and recreational purposes. The body in charge of enforcing cannabis growing laws is the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Cannabis cultivators in New Jersey are required to abide by a Class 1 Cannabis Cultivation License issued by the Commission in order to grow cannabis on their property. This is according to the Cannabis Regulation, Enforcement Assistance, and Market Modernization Act, or CREAMM Act. A cannabis cultivator, as defined under the CREAMM Act, is an individual who obtains a license to grow cannabis in the state and may transport and sell that cannabis to cannabis retailers, cultivators, manufacturers, or wholesalers but not to consumers.

In New Jersey, marijuana can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors. Home cultivation is not allowed by New Jersey legislation. Additionally, as of November 2022, it is illegal to plant and cultivate cannabis for medical or recreational purposes on property that is covered by New Jersey's Farmland Conservation Program.

Cannabis may be grown on the approved land for up to 2,500 square feet in size, measured on a horizontal plane, and up to 24 feet above that horizontal area.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Gloucester County?

Yes. In order to manufacture cannabis in Gloucester County and other counties in New Jersey, manufacturers must submit an application for a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer license to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. According to the CREAMM Act, a potential licensee for a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer must:

• Have a minimum of one significant stakeholder who has lived in the state for at least two years by the time of application, and that person, along with any other members, must have financial interests and decision-making capacity

• Must be at least 21 years old

• Must make sure that a criminal background check has been conducted on all owners, directors, officers, and staff

• Abide by all laws, rules, and regulations, including any health and safety standards imposed by the Commission

In order to verify that cannabis products meet health, safety, and potency criteria, cannabis manufacturers must also permit representatives from cannabis testing institutions to conduct an inspection and collect a random sample of the plant's products.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Gloucester County?

Yes. In order to sell cannabis products, cannabis businesses in Gloucester County need to have a Class 5 Cannabis Retailer License from the Commission. Cannabis retailers are required by the CREAMM Act to purchase usable cannabis from cannabis growers, make purchases from cannabis manufacturers and wholesalers, and then sell them to customers at retail locations. For off-premises distribution of cannabis products and supplies to consumers, they may also engage a licensed cannabis handler or delivery service.

Before dispensing cannabis, staff at the dispensary must verify that the customer is older than 21 by requesting to see a government-issued ID. The staff is not allowed to keep purchase data or ID copies further than what is required to execute a single financial transaction. However, they may freely give more details to customers, such as mailing lists.

Gloucester County offers edible cannabis. However, edible cannabis products that resemble fictional or realistic people, animals, fruits, or parts of them, such as cartoons, caricatures, or artistic renditions, should not be sold by cannabis manufacturers or retailers.

In New Jersey, anyone over 21 who lives there or visits can buy recreational cannabis from authorized dispensaries. Dispensaries allow customers to purchase up to 1 ounce of cannabis each transaction, allowing them to combine cannabis items like:

1. 1 ounce of dried flowers

2. 4 grams of oils, resins, concentrates, and other liquid forms, or

3. 1000 mg gummies and other consumables (10 pcs. of 100mg packs)

In general, cannabis consumption on private property is permitted for people over 21. However, landowners or property managers can limit cannabis use on their premises. Topicals, resins, syringes, concentrated oils, dried flowers, soft chews, tinctures, vape formulas, and lozenges are the cannabis items that are legal to sell in Gloucester County, but availability varies depending on each dispensary. Perishable edibles such as brownies and cookies are not sold by any retailer in the state.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Gloucester County?

Yes. A Class 6 Cannabis Delivery license is required in New Jersey for cannabis delivery services. In accordance with the CREAMM Act, licensed cannabis delivery businesses in New Jersey are allowed to offer delivery services for consumers buying cannabis, as well as give permission to licensed retailers to schedule those deliveries. Consumers may be able to buy cannabis directly from these delivery providers. The cannabis retailer receives the order from the delivery service, which is then fulfilled and shipped to the customer.

Regarding medical marijuana, the New Jersey Department of Health allows medical marijuana treatment facilities to deliver medical marijuana to the residences of qualified patients enrolled under the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP) who have medical marijuana cards, as well as to the designated caregivers for those patients. Individuals who use delivery services might need to provide a valid ID for identification purposes. In order to acquire more cannabis than the one-ounce limit in a single transaction, registered patients may use their NJMCP card rather than a government-issued ID card (up to 3 ounces at a time every month). Authorized cannabis delivery personnel are only permitted to make home deliveries from the licensed facilities of the cannabis retailer, from multiple cannabis retailers, or from contracted suppliers.

The delivery services may also deliver cannabis from one resident to another.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Gloucester County

You must meet the following conditions in order to be eligible for the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP):

• Be a New Jersey resident

• Have a diagnosis of a qualifying medical condition from a state-licensed physician certified by the NJMCP

• Have eligible medical conditions like:

  • Anxiety

  • Cancer

  • Dysmenorrhea

  • Glaucoma

  • Migraine

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

  • Chronic pain

  • Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity

  • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease

  • Muscular dystrophy

  • Opioid Use Disorder

  • Tourette Syndrome

  • Seizure disorder, including epilepsy

  • Positive status for AIDS and HIV

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • A terminal condition with a life expectancy of less than a year

• Keep a bona fide relationship with a licensed doctor who is an NJMCP member

Once you are eligible, your physician will provide you with a reference number so you can register for the NJMCP online. Also, be sure to mention the Alternative Treatment Center where you can get medical cannabis doses and provide a current full-face photograph, documentation of your residency in New Jersey, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of government support (if military veteran, recipient of government assistance, or senior citizen). Following approval of the patient/caregiver registration, payment notification ($100 regular fee, $20 discounted rate, and free for parents or guardians of minor patients) will be emailed to the patient/caregiver.

For inquiries about the NJMCP, you may reach out to:

Medicinal Marijuana Program Customer Service

Phone: 609-292-0424

Email: https://www.nj.gov/cannabis/medicinalcannabis/

or

Department of Health

P. O. Box 360

Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Gloucester County?

According to a report written by the New Jersey Governor's Office in April 2022, the cannabis sector exhibits economic development since it creates jobs, stimulates the economy, and gives opportunities to underprivileged populations. In addition, communities impacted by marijuana-related arrests get 70% of the sales tax on cannabis sold for recreational use, helping to further social justice and equity goals.

In 2010 and February 2021, respectively, New Jersey legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. Retail stores were permitted to open on April 21, 2022. Despite the fact that there is no sales tax on medical cannabis purchases made at retail, there is a 6.625% sales tax on all purchases made by recreational cannabis users.

Medical cannabis sales were at $59,262,014 as of the mid-August 2022 report, while recreational sales were at $79,698,831, for a stunning total of $138,960,845. When retail cannabis businesses started in April 2022, the statistics indicated a sharp spike in cannabis sales.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Gloucester County

In 2017, 2018, and 2019, there were varied numbers of DUI and drug misuse arrests in New Jersey, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.

While the 2017 crime report lists 21,574 DUI arrests and 61,989 drug offenses in New Jersey, the 2018 crime report shows 17,230 DUI cases and 48,008 drug misuse cases. Moreover, there were 55,661 substance misuse offenses and 21,112 DUI arrests, according to the most recent report that uses 2019 statistics. Marijuana consumption for recreational purposes became legal in February 2021.