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

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Union County?

Yes. In November 2020, voters approved the Constitutional Amendment Legalizing Marijuana in New Jersey. Statewide, the majority was in favor of legalizing a controlled form of marijuana called “cannabis,” garnering more than 67% (2.7 million) of votes. Meanwhile, in Union County, around 68% (146,684) of the voters were in favor of the amendment.

New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission regulates the cultivation of marijuana. According to the State’s Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMM Act), cultivators shall have Class 1 Cannabis Cultivator licenses issued by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission to allow them to grow marijuana in their areas. Cultivators are allowed to grow marijuana on a premise measuring not more than 2,500 sq. ft., and not higher than 24 ft. Marijuana may be grown indoors and outdoors in New Jersey. However, the State’s legislation does not allow personal cultivation.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Union County?

Yes. According to the CREAMM Act, marijuana manufacturers in New Jersey must have a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer license issued by the commission in order to operate. To be eligible for a Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer license, an applicant must:

• Meet the requirements of any law or regulation (such as health and safety standards) adopted by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission
• Have a minimum of one business-involved person who has lived in the State of New Jersey for at least two years at the time of the application, and provide proof that this person and other persons with decision-making authority and financial involvement are 21 years old or above
• Provide for any owner, any officer, any employee, and any director to undergo a criminal history record

Marijuana manufacturers must also allow entry of representatives of marijuana testing facilities to make scheduled or unscheduled visits to their establishments to obtain random samples of marijuana items. These items will be transported to licensed testing facilities for inspection and certification of whether the manufacturer complied with the potency, health, and safety standards required by the commission.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Union County?

Yes. Marijuana retailers in New Jersey shall apply for a Class 5 Cannabis Retailer license issued by the commission. The CREAMM Act states that marijuana retailers obtain marijuana from cultivators and marijuana products from manufacturers or wholesalers and sell these from a retail store. The licensed retailers may also use a certified marijuana handler or delivery service for the delivery of marijuana products and supplies to consumers.

Edible marijuana is available in Union County. However, marijuana manufacturers and retailers are not allowed to produce and sell edible marijuana that are shaped like a fruit, fictional or realistic human, animal, or part thereof, including cartoon, caricature, or artistic renderings.

In New Jersey, anyone (residents and visitors) 21 years old and above can buy recreational marijuana at licensed marijuana dispensaries. Licensed dispensaries are authorized to sell up to 1 ounce of cannabis per transaction, and consumers may buy a combination of marijuana products, including:

• 1 ounce of dried flower, or
• 5 grams of oils, resins, concentrates, and other liquid forms, or
• 1000 mg of ingestible items, such as gummies (10 pcs. of 100mg packages)

Legally allowable marijuana products in New Jersey include syringes, concentrated oils, topicals, resin, dried flowers, tinctures, lozenges, soft chews, and vape formulas, but availability depends on the dispensary. Perishable edibles like brownies and cookies are not available for sale in New Jersey.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Union County?

Yes. Pursuant to the CREAMM Act, licensed marijuana delivery services in New Jersey provide courier services for consumers. The consumers may purchase marijuana directly through the delivery service, and the delivery service then shows the purchase order to the licensed retailer for fulfillment. After that, the courier service fulfills the delivery of marijuana to the consumer. This marijuana delivery service shall have a Class 6 Cannabis Delivery license under the State of New Jersey.

Additionally, the New Jersey Department of Health allows medical cannabis treatment centers to make home deliveries of medical cannabis to registered patients with medical marijuana cards and their designated caregivers.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Union County

To qualify as a patient under the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP), you must be:

• A New Jersey resident

• Diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition by a licensed health care practitioner registered under the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program

• With qualifying medical conditions as follows:

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Anxiety
  • Migraine
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
  • Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity
  • Cancer
  • Chronic pain
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Opioid Use Disorder
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Glaucoma
  • Seizure disorder, including epilepsy
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Positive with AIDS and HIV
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Terminal illness with a certified prognosis of less than 12 months to live

• Maintaining a bona fide relationship with a certifying doctor who is registered with the program

Once approved, your doctor will give you the reference number to register for the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP) online. You must identify an Alternative Treatment Center where you will buy your medicinal marijuana, then submit a recent full-face photograph, proof of New Jersey residency, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of government assistance (if military veteran, senior citizen, or recipient of certain government assistance). Once a patient or a caregiver’s registration is approved, an email will be sent to the patient/caregiver with instructions about the payment ($100 standard fee; free to parents and guardians of minor patients; $20 reduced fee).

For questions or concerns, you may also contact:

Department of Health

P. O. Box 360

Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

or

Medicinal Marijuana Program Customer Service

Phone: 609-292-0424

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Union County?

Medical marijuana became legal in New Jersey in 2010, while recreational marijuana was legalized in February 2021. Furthermore, retail shops in New Jersey were allowed to operate in April 2022.

An article issued by the Office of the Governor of New Jersey states that the marijuana industry shows economic progress because it creates jobs, generates economic activity, and offers opportunities, especially to disadvantaged communities.

Retail sales of medical marijuana in New Jersey are not subject to tax, while all recreational marijuana transactions are subject to a sales tax of 6.625% and a social equity excise fee of 1/3 of 1%. According to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, the total recreational sales from April to May 2022 amounted to more than $24 million, with over 212,000 monthly marijuana sales transactions statewide.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Union County

According to the FBI Uniform Crime database, New Jersey had diverse numbers of DUI arrests and drug abuse violations in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The 2017 report shows 21,574 DUI and 61,989 drug abuse cases, while the 2018 crime data reports 17,230 and 48,008 DUI and drug abuse violations, respectively. The most recent report, the 2019 record, shows 21,112 DUI cases and 55,661 drug abuse arrests in the entire State of New Jersey. Note that the recreational use of marijuana was allowed statewide in 2021.