NJ Municipal Cannabis Survey

Introduction

The Cannabis Advisory Group is conducting a first of its kind, in-depth survey for mayors in partnership with the League of Municipalities. Our mission is to identify and respond to the most pressing challenges and concerns associated with both medical and adult-use cannabis from the vantage point of local government. Our ultimate goal is to provide impact and value in the League of Municipalities’ decision-making process. This will be achieved through receiving information to understand the mayor's positions within a significant cross section of New Jersey municipalities so that the League may engage in cannabis legislation and policies that are in the best interests of its members. The Cannabis Advisory Group will also use this feedback to create resources to support local government when faced with the opportunity for cannabis companies to operate (cultivation, manufacturing and/or dispensaries) in their communities.

The Cannabis Advisory Group (C.A.G.) is a diverse group of professionals with expertise in cannabis policy, regulatory compliance, business, social justice, economics, science and medicine that are united in the desire to maximize the context for the legal access to cannabis, both in adult-use and medicinal markets. With decades of experience across a robust cross-section of industries, our expertise is in not only seeing the vast potential of this emerging industry, but also recognizing the challenges associated with an expanding market as unprecedented as the very times in which we now live in.

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* 1. Please provide your contact information

Name

Municipality / County / Region

Address

City/Town

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number

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* 2. What is the approximate population of your municipality?

Up to 25,000

25,001 to 50,000

50,001 to 100,000

Over 100,000

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* 3. Which of the following is your municipality supportive of?

Medical Retail Dispensary

Medical Cultivating facility

Medical Manufacturing facility

Adult-use Retail dispensary

Adult-use Cultivation facility

Adult-use Manufacturing facility

Adult-use Wholesale facility

Adult-use Distribution facility

Open to all

Still Deciding

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* 4. Do you feel you need more access to information on adult-use cannabis? Circle topics of interest:

Public Safety

Public Health

Consumption Areas

Community Education

Tax Revenue

Scientific and Clinical Research

Economic Development

Social Justice and Equity

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* 5. What are the biggest concerns for your municipality regarding cannabis operations in your town? (Circle all that are relevant to you)

Social justice reform / true market accessibility

Law enforcement reform

Traffic and/or neighborhood impacts

Accessibility (Location)

Cost

All the above

Opt-in / Opt-out

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* 6. Based on the enabling legislation, the current proposed tax rate is 2% of each receipt of sale of cannabis within their community. Additionally, municipalities may impose a transfer or user tax up to 2% of the receipts from each sale by a cannabis cultivator; 2% of the receipts from each sale by a cannabis processor; 2% of the receipts from each sale by a cannabis wholesaler; 1% of the receipts from a wholesaler; and 2% on retail sales. Do the proposed tax rates make your municipality more likely to opt-in or more likely to opt-out?

More likely to opt-in

More likely to opt-out

Undecided

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* 7. With the tax revenue that cannabis may bring to your municipality, have you considered where that money is best utilized?

School and Education Development

Infrastructure

New Housing Developments

Natural/Wildlife Areas

Medical Programs/health related promotions

Social Justice Programming/job training

Still under review

Land Development; Zoning, Land Use, Planning

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* 8. State regulators require local municipal approval from all license applicants during the application process. In the event that you are approached by cannabis operators, do you feel key municipal staff, including planning and zoning, are adequately prepared to make decisions in regard to specific operators entering into your community?

Yes, we have a process for meetings and introductions

Yes, staff processes requests as any other business

No, staff needs training

Not sure, would like more information

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* 9. Based on the Adult Use bill, a local governmental entity must within 180 days enact ordinances, establish penalties for violation of an ordinance and may even prohibit the operation of any one or more classes of cannabis establishment within the jurisdiction of the local government entity. If any, which would your municipality be more inclined to establish?

Cannabis Cultivation

Cannabis Processing

Wholesale Cannabis Sales

Retail Cannabis Sales

All the Above

None of the Above

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* 10. Based on The Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act, it is unlawful for any class cannabis license to operate within 1,000 feet of any school property. What is your opinion regarding buffering requirements? (Select all)

Schools of all types should be protected

Day care facilities should be considered schools

Church and other residential uses need to be considered

Medical facilities are the same as pharmaceutical that do not require buffers

Distance between licensed facilities should be considered.

State should provide more guidance

Other (please specify)

License Issuance

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* 11. Do you think geographic apportionment of licenses is necessary to ensure that patients and consumers have access to the products they need or desire? Meaning, should there be limits per county and/or municipality on dispensaries?

Yes

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* 12. Do you believe that the total supply of cultivators and dispensaries should ultimately be limited by consumer demand—just as is the case in most other industries operating within a market economy or state regulated?

Yes - let the market dictate

No - State should control

Need more information

Social Equity, Justice & Opportunity

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* 13. How prevalent are cannabis related arrests in your municipality/county?

Very

Not very, but still an issue we would like to address

Not an issue at all

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* 14. Have any of your constituents expressed an interest in operating a cannabis operation?

Yes

Yes, but they don’t believe there will be a true opportunity for them (Social justice is just rhetoric)

No, but folks from the region have expressed interest in our community

No, only multi-state operators have approached us

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* 15. Are there programs currently offered for local entrepreneurship in your municipality, either local or through the State and/or County that may be adapted to include cannabis?

Job training

Support for small business (technical)

Support for small business (financial)

Other (please specify)

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* 16. Do you support to enacting cannabis educational and entrepreneurship programs for local entrepreneurs?

We are open but cannot handle administration of such a program

We can fold it into our existing programs

We will support such training through zoning and economic development programs

Not open

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* 17. How open are you to hosting a virtual Town Hall provided by the Cannabis Advisory Group on the opportunities presented by vetted cannabis professionals?

Very interested

Participation but not hosting

Not open / no interest

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* 18. Do you think initiative should be created that facilitate job training and mentorship opportunities for disadvantaged communities and/or individuals impacted by the history of cannabis criminalization?

Yes

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* 19. The current medical cannabis bill does not allow for home grow as it remains a felony and punishable up to 10 years and $150,000 fine. Meaning, patients are prohibited from growing cannabis plants in the home, as a cost reduction for their medical cannabis and/or maintaining access to specific medications. Do you support this measure as a future amendment?

Yes

Criminal Justice & Public Safety

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* 20. Do you believe that legalizing and regulating would free up law enforcement to focus on other types of crime?

Yes

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* 21. Based on enabling legislation, possession of 6 ounces or less of marijuana is not a crime. Are you in favor of this? If not, why?

Yes

Why?

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* 22. Based on enabling legislation, a municipality may enact an ordinance making it unlawful for any person who is of legal age to consume cannabis in any public place. A person may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $200, which shall be recovered in a civil action by a summary proceeding in the name of the municipality. Are you in favor of this? If not, why?

Yes

Why (please specify)

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* 23. Should licensed cannabis dispensaries be permitted to sell promotional items such as t-shirts or other merchandise (with prior state approval/oversight)?

Yes

Community Outreach

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* 24. How educated/informed is your community regarding cannabis?

Very, there seems to be a broad understanding of both the medicine and personal use reforms.

Enough to be OK with personal use legalization

Not very. Constituents need access to real information and not propaganda

Seems to be of minimal interest

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* 25. Does your municipality have a process in place to handle potential applicants in order to generate the type of support necessary for entities to pursue licensure within your municipality?

Yes

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* 26. Has your municipality, or any groups of constituents within your municipality, ever held an event such as a town hall or Q & A, in regard to addressing cannabis related issues or concerns?

Yes

No, but plan on doing so

No, need resources

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* 27. What resources does your municipality need to bring cannabis education to your constituents? (Circle all that are relevant to you)

Resource guide with research and topics of interest identified

Paper handouts / mailers

Information that can plug into our website (ie links and informational pages)

Presentations at public meetings from industry experts

Cannabis 101

Packaging samples

Public Safety

General and/or Medical implications of the Cannabis plant

Effects on the local economy

Public Health Implications

Best practices and case studies from communities that have permitted adult-use cannabis

Social justice information

Consumption Areas

All the above

Other (please specify)