New Jersey officials are moving ahead with the state's medical marijuana regulations that are set to take effect Dec. 19.
That clears the way for legal growing and dispensing operations to begin sometime in 2012.
The state Health and Senior Services Department posted a notice on its website on Wednesday night stating that the regulations will be finalized.
The state says it won't change any of the rules from the version made public earlier this year.
Medical marijuana advocates objected to many of the details, including one that restricts the potency of pot in a way no other state that allows medical marijuana has done so far.
Six nonprofit groups have licenses to grow and sell cannabis to patients with certain conditions. But none has a final permit yet.