New Jersey recently became the 12th state in our nation to legalize recreational cannabis. In November, voters approved an amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution to legalize recreational cannabis use, manufacture, possession, distribution, and sale of, to and by, adults 21 years of age and older. This amendment takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021, yet the practical implementation of this historic action requires several additional steps. In furtherance of this, on Dec. 17, 2020, the New Jersey State Assembly and subsequently, the Senate, passed the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (known as “S21”).

S21 establishes the legal framework for New Jersey to develop, regulate and enforce the recreational cannabis marketplace. As of the date of this article, S21 was awaiting the governor’s anticipated approval before it becomes law. While no timeline is set in stone, those familiar with the process anticipate the application process for recreational licenses will become available during the fall of 2021. This new recreational market will operate in parallel with New Jersey’s Medical Marijuana Program (MMP), which has dramatically grown in the number of registered patients since its enactment in January 2010. According to the Cannabis Business Times, supply for the MMP market is produced by 12 licensed alternative treatment centers that serve approximately 100,000 patients across the state.