New Jersey to begin recreational cannabis sales April 21
By Hannah Sarisohn, CNN
New Jersey will begin adult recreational cannabis sales and use starting next Thursday, according to a release from the state’s cannabis regulatory commission.
According to the release, the commission will issue licenses to seven alternative treatment centers — including 13 retail dispensaries.
Early last year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legislation decriminalizing marijuana use for those 21 years and older, CNN previously reported.
That signature came on the heels of a 2020 ballot measure that saw New Jersey vote to legalize recreational marijuana. State lawmakers, unable to drum up enough support to pass a bill to fully legalize marijuana, agreed to place the question directly to voters: “Do you approve amending the Constitution to legalize a controlled form of marijuana called ‘cannabis’?”
Public Question No. 1 amended the state constitution to legalize cannabis for personal, non-medical use by adults 21 and older, with the state commission that oversees the medical market also regulating the personal market.
“Starting on April 21, adults ages 21+ will be able to legally purchase cannabis and cannabis products without a medical card. This is a historic step in our work to create a new cannabis industry,” Murphy said in a tweet Thursday.
In its release, the commission reiterated its focus on equity and diversity across the state’s cannabis industry.
– CNN’s Brian Vitagliano and Caroline Kelly contributed to this report
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