Tag: New Jersey

Have you ever pondered the landscape of cannabis regulations across the United States? Amid a shifting legal terrain where nearly half of the states have embraced recreational cannabis and 38 have legalized medical marijuana, the complexities abound. Despite federal law maintaining cannabis as an illegal substance, each state charts its course with unique rules and regulations. Deciding on the optimal cannabis state involves considering various factors, such as whether the state permits medical, recreational, or both cannabis programs, the presence of… Read more.

New Jersey has opened applications for the second phase of a marijuana social equity funding program, which will make $150,000 grants to awardees and offer eight weeks of technical assistance. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) says the round of so-called Seed Equity grants will allocate “up to $8 million in funding for 48 entrepreneurs” who meet social equity qualifications and hold conditional marijuana licenses. Applicants must also employ 50 or fewer employees. Money can be used to cover… Read more.

The New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police is lashing out against a newly filed lawsuit by Jersey City officials that seeks to undo a state policy that generally allows police officers to use marijuana while off duty, calling the legal challenge “an unfortunate waste of taxpayer dollars.” Jersey City and its public safety director, James Shea, sued the state in federal court on Monday, arguing that the policy, released by the state attorney general’s office in February, is preempted by federal law.… Read more.

Nearly 40 New Jersey cannabis dispensaries will share $12 million in state joint venture grants from the state Economic Development Authority, PIX 11 reports. The grants are geared toward diverse representatives of communities most affected by the war on drugs.     In an interview with PIX 11, Francesca DeRogatis, co-founder and COO of Nightjar which will receive a $250,000 grant, described the program as “really life changing.”  Jill Cohen, founding owner of Elevated by The Cannaboss Lady Dispensary, said the funds will help… Read more.

New Jersey officials have announced the availability of $5.5 million in marijuana revenue to support a hospital-based violence intervention grants program.Grants will be awarded beginning next year, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin (D) said in a press release. Launched in 2020, the New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program connects survivors of violent crime, including gun violence, with community-based organizations that provide support services “starting at their bedside.”“These innovative violence intervention programs allow providers to tend… Read more.

New Jersey marijuana regulators are accepting public comments on a proposal that would create a new permit to allow “clinically focused” dispensaries to enter into partnerships with research institutions to carry out cannabis studies using products that they grow or sell to patients. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) said it is seeking to amend the state’s marijuana law to create “clinical registrant permits” that would allow more targeted research into “the therapeutic or palliative efficacy of medical cannabis,”… Read more.

After testing positive for THC in a drug test, a police officer in Jersey City, New Jersey, faced dismissal. However, in a recent development, the officer, Norhan Mansour, has been reinstated to his position, complete with retroactive pay. Notably, this incident occurred well after Gov. Phil Murphy had signed a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis in New Jersey back in 2021, paving the way for sales to commence in April 2022. Following the bill's enactment, the Jersey City Police Department made it clear that… Read more.

Newark, New Jersey’s Central Planning Board on Tuesday approved plans by Architect Rachael Grochowski and Hashstoria to renovate a historical building in the city – the former home of engineering firm A.R. Meeker & Co and Stoutenburgh & Co. Newark Clothiers – for a cannabis consumption lounge.     Hashstoria is co-founded by Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan, civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers, and radio, tv personality, and mental health advocate Charlamagne tha God. Hashstoria currently has locations in Astoria, Gladstone,… Read more.

With nearly 100 companies in line to be approved by the state to open a cannabis retail store in the next few months, New Jersey will soon add to the already 34 dispensaries dotting the state. Adding to this burst of approvals, CRC Chairwoman Dianna Houenou recently said more varied products produced in the state and improved access for medical marijuana patients will also expand the market. Houneou will be among the featured speakers at NJ Cannabis Insider’s summer business networking event from 6-10… Read more.

A New Jersey Senate committee held a hearing on Monday to discuss a bill that would legalize the possession, home cultivation and gifting of psilocybin mushrooms for adults 21 and older while also creating a system of licensed businesses to provide access to the psychedelic and related services in supervised settings. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee took up the legislation from Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D)—hearing testimony from experts and people whose lives have been directly… Read more.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) unanimously voted 5-0 to withdraw marijuana cultivation and manufacturing licenses from an operator in the state due to outstanding fees, as reported by MJBiz. Harmony Foundation, the operator that runs the sole adult-use dispensary in Hudson County, made a partial payment of $100,000 for its Class 5 retail license but failed to pay for its Class 1 cultivation and Class 2 manufacturing permits. Despite the license revocation, Harmony is still allowed to sell recreational… Read more.

Regulators revoked the manufacturing and cultivation permits, but allowed Harmony to keep its retail license. A vertically integrated New Jersey cannabis company had several of its business licenses yanked this week by regulators, who said the revocations were due to $700,000 in unpaid permit fees. According to NJBiz.com, the state Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to revoke Harmony Foundation’s recreational permits for cultivation and manufacturing that were just granted in December, saying that state fees for those permits… Read more.

New ground is about to be broken in New Jersey.  NJBIZ reports that Tahir Johnson — the owner of Simply Pure Trenton — is set to become the first entrepreneur with a cannabis-related conviction to own and operate a legal-use dispensary in New Jersey. “We’re really proud to be opening and excited to show the community what we’re doing and show that we can compete at a high level,” Johnson said, according to the outlet. “I don’t want to just be the best Black-owned… Read more.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) says that lawmakers are working to “resurrect” a package of marijuana reform legislation from last session, acknowledging that failure to advance a banking fix for the industry “literally means that hundreds of businesses go out of business.” Advocates with the non-profit Minorities for Medical Marijuana (MMM) approached Booker following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on unrelated issues on Thursday, urging the senator to push for passage of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act to… Read more.

A New Jersey hemp company is suing a Massachusetts biotech company claiming it operated a “Ponzi scheme” by using more than $700,000 it raised from the firm to fund its own projects, Salem News reports. In its lawsuit against the Salzman Group, Delta Technologies claims the drug development company took their money and used their machinery in other, failed, projects.  According to the lawsuit, Salzman Group Chairman and CEO Dr. Andrew Salzman agreed to put together a “large team of scientists” to help Delta and its… Read more.

The sites of two defunct South Jersey diners may soon go from serving breakfast to bud as cannabis businesses in the Garden State look to give them new life as marijuana dispensaries. Plans are underway to convert the closed Marlton Diner in Marlton and Mount Laurel’s Sage Diner to cannabis shops, as first reported by the Courier Post. A firm known as Enlighten Health & Wellness LLC will operate the former Marlton Diner location on Route 70, and NJ Green… Read more.

On March 8, the state’s largest and most comprehensive cannabis business conference will feature more than 40 vendors and 29 speakers, offering just about everything a Garden State legal weed operator needs to know and the people they need to meet to succeed. Doors open at 9 a.m. with the keynote speaker, the state’s top cannabis regulator Dianna Houenou, opening the all-day event at 10 a.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel at the Newark Airport. Tickets are on sale now for the conference. A select… Read more.

March 2023 marks the fifth anniversary since NJ Cannabis Insider launched with a weekly newsletter and seasonal conferences. With the market open for nearly a year, hundreds of companies permitted to open cannabis operations, and more to come, this will be our biggest business conference, yet. For March 8, NJ Cannabis Insider’s all-day conferencewill be the state’s largest business networking event, featuring more than two dozen speakers and several new features to mirror what’s happenings in the industry. Tickets are on sale… Read more.