New Jersey’s cannabis legislation is moving fast. The Garden State will soon allow recreational use and sales, joining 14 other states in America’s recent Green Rush.
The state’s passage of Question 2 in the Nov. 3 election legalized adult-use cannabis, but now it’s up to the Legislature to establish the detailed rules. Leafly went deep into the weeds of NJ’s 200-page bill and came away with the key takeaways you need to know before the scheduled December 17 vote.
At its last meeting, the Verona Township Council considered a request by Green Thumb Industries (GTI) New Jersey, LLC for a medical cannabis dispensary.
GTI New Jersey, which opened a dispensary in the city of Paterson less than two years ago, has asked the Verona Township Council to write a letter of support for a dispensary that would be located at 30 Pompton Ave., the former Chase Bank location.
A crowd of officials were on hand Friday, to witness Mayor Andre Sayegh cut the ribbon at Rise Paterson.
“This, I can say — on those three different levels — will be beneficial for us: the jobs, the revenue and the convenience for the constituents that really need it,” Sayegh said.
Tight regulations under former Gov. Chris Christie limited New Jersey to just six medical marijuana dispensaries statewide, including facilities in Montclair and Secaucus.
Demko, the Clifton resident, said he buys his medical marijuana at the Secaucus dispensary. But sometimes the lines there are two hours long and the center runs out of marijuana, Demko said.
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.
GTI's store, Rise Paterson, is scheduled to open on Saturday. A ribbon cutting event and open house will be held on Friday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Attendees can tour the store, meet workers and learn more about New Jersey's medical marijuana program, according to GTI. Special guests include Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh and New Jersey Assistant Commissioner of Health Jeff Brown.
Green Thumb Industries Inc. (GTI) (CSE:GTII) (GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of Rise™ and Essence retail stores, will open Rise Paterson, its first store in New Jersey, on Saturday, December 21. This is GTI’s 37th store in the nation and the fourth store GTI has opened within the last month. GTI also operates a cultivation and processing facility in Paterson, which this month received its permit to begin growing cannabis, and is the first cannabis company to become operational in the state among the 2018 license award winners.
GTI Issued Permit to Dispense Medical Marijuana in New Jersey
The Facility is Now the Seventh Alternative Treatment Center to Operate
The New Jersey Department of Health today issued a permit allowing the GTI in Paterson to operate and dispense medical marijuana. GTI is now the seventh Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) dispensing marijuana for medical use in New Jersey.
GTI is the first ATC to open among the awards made by the New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP) in December 2018.
More marijuana plants are finally growing in the Garden State, as one of the six new medicinal dispensaries obtained its permit to grow the plant this week.
The state Department of Health announced that Green Thumb Industries (GTI) in Paterson has passed several site inspections and background checks, as well as reviews of its security operations and cultivation facility.
“We’re very pleased to be the first ones,” said Devra Karlebach, the CEO of GTI New Jersey. “We are very honored and humbled that we were awarded a license initially."
A company seeking to open a marijuana cultivation facility and a dispensary in the city faced opposition from South Paterson residents at a townhall meeting on Wednesday night.
Dozens of people packed the cafeteria at the Board of Education to hear from both municipal and GTI New Jersey officials about the proposed facilities. Majority of the attendees spoke out against having a facility in their neighborhood.
“I’m afraid if my kids grow up in the city, where there is a weed dispensary, they are going to get their hands on it,” said Sanan Ramadan.