As January creeps closer, cannabis entrepreneurs are flocking to New Jersey. Their mission is to try and attain the first-movers advantage in what is expected to be the next state to legalize recreational marijuana. Although the actual legalization process cannot begin until mid-January, the competition is already thick. Cannabis centered businesses such as Weedmaps and Terra Tech already call New Jersey home, but many more are expected to pop up within the coming months.
The Back Story
Attorney Joshua Bauchner, of Grimm and Aaron, says his firm has been inundated with calls from potential cannabis entrepreneurs as legal recreational use in New Jersey creeps closer. “The green rush is very much on” he noted. The green rush is due in part to the promises made by Governor-elect Phil Murphy, who is due for inauguration on January 16. Murphy has promised that he will sign the bill to legalize recreational marijuana within his first 100 days in office. He spoke candidly about cannabis in his victory speech back in June. Murphy stated, “The criminalization of marijuana has only served to clog our courts and cloud people’s futures, so we will legalize marijuana.” New Jersey lawmakers have already made themselves familiar with the adult-use draft bill, which was put in place by State Senator Nicholas Scutari. If New Jersey passes the adult-use bill, they will be the first legislature to do so. The proceeding 5 legal states became that way through a referendum.
Already Setting Up Shop
With the rush of cannabis entrepreneurs trying to get a stake in New Jersey as early as possible, a few businesses have already dug roots.
Weedmaps, a well know online cannabis retail guide, is extremely active in trying to help shape the regulatory adult-use process. They are working hard to ensure these guidelines produce responsible and successful cannabis industry in New Jersey. As of now, the company has to handle it’s NJ medical marijuana patients from it’s New York office.
Weedmaps is hoping to see success with sales of its seed-to-sale technology as cannabis businesses flood in. The cannabis community remains a tight-knit circle, and Weedmaps hopes that legalization in New Jersey just continues to grow the movement.
Along with Weedmaps, Terra Tech has also set up shop in New Jersey. Terra Tech is a cannabis company that already has cultivation, processing, and retail licenses in Nevada and California. Terra Tech has already built a five-acre greenhouse in New Jersey, but they do not currently produce cannabis in this location. With legalization rapidly approaching, they hope to corner the adult use market and plan on applying for permits in the state.
When To Expect Major Changes
With the support of many New Jersey politicians, and a bill that is already so far along, it is expected that the recreational cannabis law will be signed by the end of June 2018.
Does this mean that legal recreational marijuana will be eligible for sale in 2018? It is highly possible, although there are some unknowns. No other legal state has passed recreational laws through the legislature, and the jury is out on how this will affect the time it takes. If 2018 does see sales of legal recreational marijuana in New Jersey, it will most likely be from already established medical operators.
Whichever way the smoke flies, it is exciting to see such big moves coming to the legalization of recreational marijuana movement, especially in a state so close to New England. It is going to be interesting to watch this play out over the course of the next couple months. Here’s to much success in the New Jersey green rush, and huge advancements in the fight for legalized recreational marijuana.
Marina the Freelance killer content creator, cannabis activist and lover of all things caffeinated. The voice behind The Virtually Creative, and that friend who laughs at all her own jokes.