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Recreational cannabis is now legal in New Jersey

Adult-use marijuana sales is now legal in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Voters in the Garden State first approved a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana sales in Nov. 2020, and Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill into law in Feb. 2021.

New Jersey residents and visitors 21 years and older will now be able to purchase recreational cannabis and cannabis products at 13 dispensaries across the state; the locations have been serving patients in the Medicinal Cannabis Program until now.

“We expect 13 locations for the entire state will make for extremely busy stores,” said Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. “The dispensaries have assured us that they are ready to meet the demand without disrupting patient access, and with minimal impact on the surrounding communities, but patience will be key to a good opening day.”

April 21 is the first day of the state’s legal cannabis industry, and seven companies so far have received approval from New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission to begin recreational sales of marijuana flower and cannabis-infused products. One of them, cannabis product supplier Curaleaf Holdings Inc., understandably praised the state’s decision to legalize the industry. “The launch of New Jersey’s adult-use marketplace is a major step forward for the cannabis industry and it is a privilege to be among the inaugural group of licensees that will mark the beginning of the state’s adult-use market,” said Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern. “We thank you for your continued support as we join the state of New Jersey on this historic journey.” Curaleaf, which is based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, owns and operates two New Jersey locations – in Bordentown and Edgewater Park.

Some analysts forecast that recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey could top US$2 billion by 2025.