Legal weed sales could start in New Jersey within weeks, Murphy says

After missing a self-imposed Tuesday deadline to open the state for legal marijuana sales, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday night New Jersey is “within weeks” of having existing medical weed dispensaries sell recreational cannabis to adults 21 and older.

“If I had to predict, we are within weeks — I would hope in March — you would see implicit movement on the medical dispensaries, some of them being able to sell recreational,” Murphy said during his radio show on WBGO in Newark. “They’ve got to prove they’ve got the supply for their medical customers. I hope shortly thereafter, the standalone recreational marijuana operators.”

New Jersey voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing recreational marijuana in November 2020, but sales have not started after more than a year.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which is in charge of regulating the new industry, is still reviewing applications for licenses. The panel missed a self-imposed Feb. 22 deadline to open the state for adult-use cannabis.

Jeff Brown, the commission’s executive director, said a number of factors are still in the way before the doors can open, including lack of municipal buy-in. Local officials must attest in writing they support the the alternative treatment centers — the growers and sellers of medical marijuana in their communities— have permission to sell the product for recreational use. [Read more at NJ.com]