Make Your New Jersey Cannabis License Application A Slam Dunk

If you’re looking to become a New Jersey cannabis retailer, you have a great opportunity for profit —especially if you select the right environmental and safety compliance services partner to assist you.

The New Jersey cannabis license application requires a holistic strategy for safety and compliance. For each cannabis item, you must address any issues around proper packaging, labeling, shipping, and disposal. Below, we list the specific plans and SOPs you’ll be responsible to submit, with their individual rubric scores:

• Regulatory Compliance Plan (50 points)
  Given the number of points this requirement offers towards your scoring total, it’s key you succeed here. So, well in advance of application submission, you must develop a complete environmental, health, and safety (EHS) compliance plan. This way, you’ll meet all regulatory deadlines, while ensuring that your facility meets current safety standards.
  
• Control, Storage, and Diversion Prevention SOP (10 points)
  Given this is the cannabis industry, you may want to consider implementing federal Drug Enforcement Administration-approved methods to properly secure all your onsite controlled substances and regulated chemicals. It will also keep the products and other chemicals with the appropriate buyers.
•  Waste Disposal SOP (10 Points)
  Cannabis, like all other regulated substances, will create potentially hazardous (along with non-hazardous) waste products. You must have a plan to eliminate these chemicals—one that complies with all relevant statutes and guidelines.
  
• Environmental Impact Plan (10 points)
  You must craft appropriate recycling and waste reduction plans and demonstrate sustainability efforts.
• Safety and Security Plan (10 points)
  Your business must comply with established and auditable safety methods to protect employees and customers alike.

Partner With A Cannabis Compliance Specialist

Depending on the size and scope of your proposed retail cannabis business, you may want to consult with a professional EHS services provider or similar partner to assist you with some (or all) of these requirements. You also can use this as an opportunity to begin a long-lasting relationship with a partner whose services you’ll need after your store opens. (This applies particularly for a risky operation like waste disposal, which you may want to outsource completely.)

When vetting your application partner, you should perform in-depth due diligence. Ideally, you should collaborate only with a safety and compliance specialist that has a track record in the cannabis industry (for instance, see if they’ve handled specific processes or SOPs for hemp, THC, or CBD, in particular).

Additionally, you need a partner that can easily handle all phases of waste disposal compliance, from drafting a plan to creating proven SOPs. Look at the credentials of the company’s technicians and consultants, and learn if they are leveraging the latest high-tech solutions to assist them.
Naturally, the partner also should have an in-depth understanding of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s specific guidelines. And you should see if they’ve worked specifically with a Class 5 Retailer, such as you propose to become. This will enable the smooth submission of your application—and give it the best chance to meet the 210-point requirement.

Triumvirate Environmental can provide the guidance needed. Want to discuss your compliance needs further? Call us today at 617-715-9055. To read more, we invite you to review our EHS Services for Cannabis Enterprises, including plan development, cannabis waste disposal, and facility permitting.