New Jersey’s Medical Cannabis Market Doubles In Size

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]N[/dropcap]ew Jersey may soon double the size of its medical cannabis program due to the medical cannabis supply shortage in the state.

In July, the state’s Department of Health has announced that six additional medical cannabis dispensaries will be added to the existing medical cannabis program last Monday. Once these six dispensaries start operation, they would make a total of 12 dispensaries across the state.

The health department, which administers the medical cannabis program, received 146 applications for the six open slots. “Six very strong applicants were selected, including minority-owned and women-owned businesses,” Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said. “We will meet with them early next year to refine their timetable for growing product and opening their doors.”

Before the six new dispensaries are permitted to start operation, they have to pass background checks, provide evidence of a dispensary location and municipal approval, and comply with all regulations under the health department, including safety and security requirements.

If they get the green light from the Health Department, those six dispensaries will be added to the locations in Bellmawr, Cranbury, Egg Harbor Township, Montclair, Secaucus and Woodbridge.

This expansion could be a prelude to even more progress in the medical cannabis program in 2019. Under the rules proposed earlier this summer, the Department of Health would be able to issue licenses to medical cannabis providers who could grow, process or sell cannabis, rather than be required to do all three. These rules were expected to be implemented this fall, but the delay in picking the new alternative treatment centers postponed the entire course of events.

The state legislature is also considering a medical cannabis expansion bill alongside the cannabis legalization bill that has a larger scope to help patients as well as increase the number of dispensaries, permitting patients to buy more cannabis at one time and allowing more medical professionals to recommend and prescribe cannabis. The bill’s fate is intertwined with the legalization bill, and lawmakers aren’t expected to make any decisions regarding this legislation until earlier next year.