AUG. 9, 2021 1:45 P.M.
New Jerseyans overwhelmingly wanted the right to buy legal cannabis. Just not in their own towns—not yet, anyway.
Faced with an August 21st deadline to opt out of cannabis operations or be locked into it for five years, almost half of the state's municipalities are foregoing the immediate chance to open marijuana retail, wholesale, or manufacturing facilities— and therefore the chance to collect as much as a 2% tax and licensing fees.
Some officials say they fear cannabis businesses will adversely affect children, but others say it's just a wait-and-see approach: Wait to see what happens when the marijuana store opens in the cannabis friendly town next door, and then see if that's something they want to take advantage of at home. Towns that opt out by August 21st can reverse course at any time, but municipalities that do nothing can't restrict the businesses for five years after the deadline.
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