Cannabis Dispensaries and Sales On The Rise in New Jersey

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ – New Jersey has seen a significant increase in the number of cannabis dispensaries throughout the state, according to a report by New Jersey Monitor.

The industry has been growing ever since recreational marijuana sales began in New Jersey in April 2022.  At this time one year ago there were 22 dispensaries in the state, operated primarily by large corporate companies.

But the opening of a new dispensary in Lambertville recently brings the total in the state to 79, operating in 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

Revenue has also been rising substantially.  The total amount of cannabis sales for the first three quarters of 2023 came to $578 million and is expected to climb to $1 billion in 2024, according to Jeff Brown, executive director of the Garden State’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Brown released a statement saying, “It was a successful year for New Jersey’s growing cannabis market, affirming the efficacy of our approach to building a market on a framework of social equity and public safety.”

The new dispensary in Lambertville, called Baked by the River, is operated by Jesse Marie Villars and opened for business Dec. 16.  Villars expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the state’s cannabis marketplace.

“We were a legacy, illegal operation. Both me and my partner have been arrested because of cannabis in the past,” Villars was quoted as saying. “It’s honestly such a dream come true to have made it to this point.”

But some of those hoping to open dispensaries in New Jersey have encountered difficulties, some of it due to local opposition.  Two-thirds of the state’s municipalities have opted to ban cannabis dispensaries.

State officials said they also had to resolve issues with the application process in 2022 that resulted in some applications being delayed until they could be processed correctly.

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