The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (P.L.2021, c. 16 (C.24:6I-31 et al.) designates Impact Zones as municipalities which meet specific criteria based on population, past criminal marijuana enterprises, law enforcement activity, rates of unemployment, and poverty. The statute seeks to target communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs for particular consideration in New Jersey’s burgeoning cannabis market – specifically for preference in licensing and in allocation of revenues generated from cannabis sales.
The list of municipalities is defined by law and compiled by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission based on several factors:
- Population
- Whether or not a municipality is in the top 40% of municipalities for arrests for marijuana or hashish-related offenses
- Crime Index, which is a measure of overall crime in a municipality
- Unemployment
*According to the legislation an Impact Zone means any municipality, based on past criminal marijuana enterprises contributing to higher concentrations of law enforcement activity, unemployment, and poverty, or any combination thereof, within parts of or throughout the municipality that:
(1) Has a population of 120,000 or more
(2) Ranks in the top 40% of New Jersey municipalities for marijuana- or hashish-related arrests; has a crime index total of 825 or higher; and has a local average annual unemployment rate in the top 15% of all municipalities
(3) Is located in a county of the third class, based upon the county's population, that meets all of the criteria in (2) other than having a crime index total of 825 or higher; or
(4) Is located in a county of the second class, based upon the county's population:
(a) with a population of less than 60,000, that ranks in the top 40% of municipalities in the State for marijuana- or hashish-related arrests; has a crime index total of 1,000 or higher; but for calendar year 2019 does not have a local average annual unemployment rate that ranks in the top 15% of all municipalities; or
(b) with a population of not less than 60,000 or more than 80,000; has a crime index total of 650 or higher; and for calendar year 2019 has a local average annual unemployment rate of 3% or higher using the same estimated annual unemployment rates."
Though there is overlap, Impact Zones, as designated by the New Jersey legislature, are different from communities (Economically Disadvantaged Areas) that may qualify a license applicant for Social Equity consideration by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Following the statutory guidelines, 87 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities (15%), in 18 counties qualify as Impact Zones. These Impact Zones have an average unemployment rate 32% higher than the rest of New Jersey’s municipalities, 77% more marijuana arrests, and a Crime Index 34% higher.
Twenty-one municipalities with median family incomes above New Jersey’s average median family income qualified as Impact Zones. The Impact Zone with the highest median family income is Morris Plains ($127,226).
The data supporting the naming of the Impact Zones is compiled from various sources as specified in the law. The data sources, the rationale for the assumptions, and the legislative language is detailed in Impact Zone Report.
*Full details of each criteria is in the report Identifying Impact Zones and its abstract.
Municipalities Qualified as Impact Zones | ||
Municipality | County | Population |
Asbury Park city | Monmouth | 16116 |
Atlantic City city, NJ | Atlantic | 39558 |
Bass River township | Burlington | 1443 |
Bellmawr borough | Camden | 11583 |
Berlin borough | Camden | 7588 |
Berlin township | Camden | 5357 |
Bordentown township | Burlington | 11367 |
Bridgeton city, NJ | Cumberland | 25349 |
Brooklawn borough | Camden | 1955 |
Buena borough | Atlantic | 4603 |
Buena Vista township | Atlantic | 7570 |
Burlington city | Burlington | 9920 |
Burlington township | Burlington | 22594 |
Camden city, NJ | Camden | 77344 |
Carneys Point township | Salem | 8049 |
Carteret borough | Middlesex | 22844 |
Cinnaminson township | Burlington | 15569 |
City of Orange township, NJ | Essex | 30134 |
Commercial township | Cumberland | 5178 |
Deptford township, NJ | Gloucester | 30561 |
Dover town | Morris | 18157 |
East Brunswick township, NJ | Middlesex | 47512 |
East Hanover township | Morris | 11157 |
East Orange city, NJ | Essex | 64270 |
Elizabeth city, NJ | Union | 124969 |
Evesham township, NJ | Burlington | 45538 |
Ewing township, NJ | Mercer | 35790 |
Franklin township (Gloucester) | Gloucester | 16820 |
Franklin township (Somerset County), NJ | Somerset | 62300 |
Garfield city, NJ | Bergen | 30487 |
Glassboro borough | Gloucester | 18579 |
Gloucester City city | Camden | 11456 |
Gloucester township, NJ | Camden | 64634 |
Haledon borough | Passaic | 8318 |
Hamilton township (Atlantic County), NJ | Atlantic | 26503 |
Hanover township | Morris | 13712 |
Hillside township | Union | 21404 |
Irvington township, NJ | Essex | 53926 |
Jersey City city, NJ | Hudson | 247597 |
Lawrence township (Mercer County), NJ | Mercer | 33472 |
Lindenwold borough | Camden | 17613 |
Lower Township | Cape May | 22866 |
Lumberton Township | Burlington | 12559 |
Mantua Township | Gloucester | 15217 |
Maurice River Township | Cumberland | 7976 |
Metuchen Borough | Middlesex | 13574 |
Middle Township | Cape May | 18911 |
Millville City | Cumberland | 28400 |
Monroe Township (Gloucester County) | Gloucester | 39132 |
Monroe Township (Middlesex County) | Middlesex | 39132 |
Morris Plains Borough | Morris | 5532 |
Morristown Township | Morris | 18411 |
Mount Ephraim Borough | Camden | 4676 |
Mount Holly Township | Burlington | 9536 |
Mount Laurel Township | Burlington | 41864 |
New Brunswick City | Middlesex | 55181 |
Newark City | Essex | 277140 |
North Brunswick Township | Middlesex | 40742 |
North Plainfield Borough | Somerset | 21936 |
North Wildwood City | Cape May | 4041 |
Palmyra Borough | Burlington | 7398 |
Passaic City | Passaic | 69781 |
Paterson City | Passaic | 146199 |
Paulsboro borough | Gloucester | 6097 |
Pemberton township, NJ | Burlington | 27912 |
Pennsauken township, NJ | Camden | 35885 |
Perth Amboy city, NJ | Middlesex | 50814 |
Plainfield city, NJ | Union | 49808 |
Pleasantville city | Atlantic | 20249 |
Prospect Park borough | Passaic | 5865 |
Riverdale borough | Morris | 3559 |
Roselle borough | Union | 21085 |
Salem city | Salem | 5146 |
Seaside Heights borough | Ocean | 2887 |
South Plainfield borough | Middlesex | 23385 |
Southampton township | Burlington | 10464 |
Trenton city, NJ | Mercer | 84913 |
Tuckerton borough | Ocean | 3347 |
Vineland city, NJ | Cumberland | 60724 |
Washington township (Gloucester County), NJ | Gloucester | 48559 |
Wayne township, NJ | Passaic | 54717 |
West Deptford township | Gloucester | 21677 |
Westampton township | Burlington | 8813 |
Wildwood city | Cape May | 5325 |
Willingboro township, NJ | Burlington | 31629 |
Winslow township, NJ | Camden | 39499 |
Woodbury city | Gloucester | 10174 |
Impact Zones by County | |
Atlantic | 5 |
Atlantic City city, NJ | |
Buena borough | |
Buena Vista township | |
Hamilton township (Atlantic County), NJ | |
Pleasantville city | |
Bergen | 1 |
Garfield city, NJ | |
Burlington | 14 |
Bass River Township | |
Bordentown Township | |
Burlington City | |
Burlington Township | |
Cinnaminson Township | |
Evesham Township | |
Lumberton Township | |
Mount Holly Township | |
Mount Laurel Township | |
Palmyra Borough | |
Pemberton Borough | |
Southhampton Township | |
Westhampton Township | |
Willingboro Township | |
Camden | 10 |
Bellmawr borough | |
Berlin borough | |
Berlin township | |
Brooklawn borough | |
Camden city, NJ | |
Gloucester City city | |
Gloucester township, NJ | |
Lindenwold Borough | |
Pennsauken Township | |
Winslow Township | |
Cape May | 4 |
Lower Township | |
Middle Township | |
North Wildwood City | |
Wildwood City | |
Cumberland | 5 |
Bridgeton city, NJ | |
Commercial township | |
Maurice River township | |
Millville city, NJ | |
Vineland city, NJ | |
Essex | 4 |
City of Orange township, NJ | |
East Orange city, NJ | |
Irvington township, NJ | |
Newark city, NJ | |
Gloucester | 9 |
Deptford township, NJ | |
Franklin township (Gloucester) | |
Glassboro borough | |
Mantua township | |
Monroe township (Gloucester County), NJ | |
Paulsboro borough | |
Washington township (Gloucester County), NJ | |
West Deptford township | |
Woodbury city | |
Hudson | 1 |
Jersey City city, NJ | |
Mercer | 3 |
Ewing township, NJ | |
Lawrence township (Mercer County), NJ | |
Trenton city, NJ | |
Middlesex | 8 |
Carteret borough | |
East Brunswick township, NJ | |
Metuchen borough | |
New Brunswick city, NJ | |
North Brunswick township, NJ | |
Perth Amboy city, NJ | |
South Plainfield borough | |
Monmouth | 1 |
Asbury Park city | |
Morris | 6 |
Dover town | |
East Hanover township | |
Hanover Township | |
Morris Plains Borough | |
Morristown Township | |
Riverdale Borough | |
Ocean | 2 |
Seaside Heights Borough | |
Tuckerton Borough | |
Passaic | 5 |
Haledon Borough | |
Passaic City | |
Paterson City | |
Prospect Park Borough | |
Wayne Township | |
Salem | 2 |
Carneys Point Township | |
Salem City | |
Somerset | 2 |
Franklin township (Somerset County), NJ | |
North Plainfield borough | |
Union | 4 |
Elizabeth city, NJ | |
Hillside township | |
Plainfield city, NJ | |
Roselle borough |