First New Jersey Marijuana Consumption Lounges Get Official Approval In ‘Major Milestone’
From toxifillers.com with love
New Jersey regulators have announced that they’ve awarded the state’s first four marijuana consumption lounge endorsements in another “milestone” for its cannabis program.
After going through three application rounds—starting with social equity applicants, then diversely owned businesses and finally opening it to all licensees—the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) said on Tuesday that it’s now granted four initial consumption lounge endorsements.
“This is a major milestone in New Jersey’s cannabis industry. These designated spaces provide consumers with safe and legal options for cannabis consumption,” NJ-CRC Chairwoman Dianna Houenou said in a press release.
“Whether individuals cannot consume cannabis inside their homes or simply wish to consume cannabis legally and responsibly, these areas provide a practical solution,” she said. “We are proud to support this next phase of safe-use infrastructure in our state.”
At the meeting on Monday at which NJ-CRC approved the endorsements, the chair called the action “a long time coming.”
The four approved businesses—High Rollers Dispensary, SunnyTien Dispensary, Gynsyng and URB’N Dispensary—come from the application pool from the diversely owned licensee category.
“Approved consumption area endorsement holders are expected to uphold rigorous standards to ensure that consumption areas remain secure, well-managed, and compliant with state law,” the commission said.
This comes about two weeks after NJ-CRC opened up applications to operate cannabis consumption lounges from all licensed marijuana dispensaries.
In January, officials first started accepting applications from social equity marijuana licensees before opening it up to diversely owned businesses and microbusinesses in April.
The endorsement application fee is $1,000, consisting of $200 for the initial submission and another $800 that would be paid upon approval. There are also annual licensing fees in the amount of $1,000 for microbusinesses and $5,000 for standard businesses.
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Under the rules, consumption lounges cannot sell food or alcohol, but adults 21 and older can bring food or have it delivered if the local government allows it. Medical cannabis patients would be able to bring their own marijuana products.
NJ-CRC members have said they expect the addition of cannabis consumption areas will have a positive economic benefit for the state by generating more tax revenue from marijuana sales and annual fees.
Meanwhile, New Jersey officials recently completed the curriculum of a no-cost marijuana training academy that’s meant to support entrepreneurs interested in entering the cannabis industry.
Separately, New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari (D) recently filed a bill that would re-criminalize purchasing marijuana from unlicensed sources—one of the latest attempts to crack down on the illicit market and steer adults toward licensed retailers.
In March, a former New Jersey Senate leader unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination this year said “it is time” to give medical marijuana patients an option to grow their own cannabis plants for personal use. He also pledged to expand clemency for people impacted by marijuana criminalization if elected, and he expressed support for the establishment of cannabis consumption lounges.
The comments from Steve Sweeney, who was the longest-serving Senate president in the state’s history, on home grow depart from what current Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has said on multiple occasions, arguing that the state’s adult-use marijuana market needs to further mature before home grow is authorized.
Seemingly contradicting that claim, dozens of New Jersey small marijuana businesses and advocacy groups recently called on the legislature to allow adults to cultivate their own cannabis.
Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.
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