Legal Status: Recreational legal (adults 21+, since November 2020). Medical legal since 2010.
Last updated: May 2026
Possession Limits
- Total possession: up to 6 ounces (one of the highest in the US)
- Per transaction: 1oz flower, 4g concentrates, 1,000mg THC edibles
- Medical: 3oz per 30 days. Tax-exempt.
Medical Card
Cost: $0 state fee (eliminated 2021). ~$150 physician consultation only.
Card valid: 2 years. Physician certification renewed annually.
Reciprocity: Limited YES. Out-of-state cardholders can qualify for up to 6 months while visiting.
Consumption Lounges
First NJ lounges opened August 2025. Class 5 Retailers and Medical Dispensaries can apply for on-premises consumption endorsements. No food, beverages, tobacco, or alcohol on-site.
Home Cultivation
NO. Even fewer than 10 plants is a third-degree crime: 3-5 years prison, up to $25,000 fine. Bills A1674 and S1758 for limited medical home grow have not passed.
Employment Protections
YES, robust. Both CUMCA (medical) and CREAMM Act (recreational) protect employees. A positive drug test alone is NOT sufficient grounds for adverse action. Employers CAN address on-the-job impairment.
What Most People Get Wrong
People assume that because New Jersey has one of the highest possession limits (6 ounces), they can also grow at home. They CANNOT. Growing fewer than 10 plants is a THIRD-DEGREE CRIME carrying 3-5 years in prison. The state is aggressively anti-home-grow despite being pro-legal-purchase.