CAPE MAY – Cape May City Council May 18 introduced an ordinance that would ban all classes of cannabis establishments and distributors from operating in the city.
The sweeping prohibition comes on the heels of an earlier ordinance that banned the smoking or ingestion of cannabis products in any public space.
The proposed ordinance makes no exception for medical cannabis establishments.
With the ordinance, which will come up for a public hearing and potential adoption in June, the city joins the ranks of county municipalities that adopted similar measures outlawing cannabis establishments within their borders.
The nature of the state statutes that legalized recreational cannabis is partially to blame for the strict ordinances being adopted in county municipalities.
Municipalities have 180 days to take a position on cannabis industry operations in their town. Failure to restrict them by the end of the 180 days would allow cannabis businesses five years in which to operate before municipal governments could, once again, more tightly regulate them. The state will permit a loosening of restrictions after 180 days.
