Paterson’s long awaited marijuana medical dispensary is set to welcome its first patients Saturday.
Originally announced in December, 2018, the facility is owned by Green Thumb Industries (GTI), a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and retailer. The Paterson location, called Rise Paterson, is GTI’s first medical marijuana dispensary in New Jersey.
Mayor Andre Sayegh, who, reflecting on the city’s industrial past, has previously said that the city’s selection as a location for the growing industry shows that Paterson “can once again be on the right side of innovation” was on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon on Friday and welcome the community for a tour on Friday.
In addition to Rise’s retail dispensary, the company also opened a cultivation and processing facility on Getty Avenue with GTI setting a goal of creating 150 jobs when at full capacity. Sayegh believes this a “win-win” for Paterson stating emphatically that first and foremost that most of the employees will be from Paterson. Last month GTI hosted a job fair where an early count of applicants in attendance showed Patersonians outnumbering out-of-towners significantly.
The much anticipated revenue can not be understated, Sayegh added, offering finally that giving his constituents a local dispensary is vital for health reasons as well.
Prior to Rise’s opening the closest medical marijuana facility were located in Secacaus and Montclair.