What you need to know as New Jersey prepares to launch a regulated weed market this week | State and region

The regulated adult cannabis market will go on sale on Thursday when the first approved dispensaries begin accepting customers.

It comes nearly 16 months after New Jersey residents overwhelmingly voted to legalize marijuana in the 2020 general election, as well as after the state missed its own deadline to begin retail sales on February 22nd.

Here’s what you need to know when a regulated adult use market opens up.

Which outpatient clinics have been approved to start sales?

Last week, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) approved seven alternative treatment centers (a state term for medical marijuana facilities) to begin selling to adults over the age of 21.

The Commission is tasked with establishing and enforcing regulations governing the licensing, testing, cultivation, sale and purchase of cannabis in New Jersey.

Commission-approved dispensaries include CureLeaf, Acreage CCF New Jersey, Verano, Columbia Care, Ascend New Jersey, TerraAscend and GTI New Jersey. Together, these organizations manage 13 facilities across the state.

The CRC has published a list of approved retail dispensaries and said it will continue to update the list as new facilities are approved.

Some cannabis advocacy organizations have been slow to criticize the state’s delay in setting up sales and launches because they said the commission should ensure that patients with medical marijuana, people with state-approved medical certificates, do not lose access to their drugs.

As part of the review of obtaining a retail license, representatives of approved alternative treatment centers listed how they will give priority to existing patients.

For example, Willie Hayherst, vice president of operations for Columbia Care, which has outpatient clinics in Deptford and Vineland, said the company is ready to implement a 10-point plan, taking into account medical patients.

Some strategies include setting up hours that work only for patients, a hotline for patients, and stations “queuing” and “selling points” only for patients.

Cureleaf, which takes place in Edgewater Park and Bordentown, will host educational town halls for medical patients, including one scheduled for Monday, said Matt Darin, the company’s president.