The latest hurdle in the cannabis industry is one of growth. As New Jersey works to legalize the recreational market in the coming months, state officials are estimating that nearly 100 cultivation sites will be needed to grow and supply The Garden State with cannabis. This estimate gets bigger when one considers the boom in the state’s medical marijuana market should adult-use be legalized by the end of May.
The New Jersey Department of Health anticipates enrollment in the state’s medical marijuana to double in size by 2020, calling for up to fifty more cultivation sites for the medical market alone. This comes out to about 1 million square feet in growing space, but with only twelve licenses issued so far, the likelihood of meeting that goal by May 30 is shrinking.
New Jersey is not alone. Finding space to cultivate and grow marijuana could hamper the growth of many American markets. Many states grow their own since shipping across state lines or importing from Europe or South America is out of the question, but finding available land and factory space is not getting any easier.