The amendment to legalize cannabis in New Jersey officially became effective in January 2021, and the Garden State’s budding industry has been expanding ever since.
Now, the state is witnessing the opening of its first service-disabled veteran and Latino-owned dispensary with The Cannabis Place. The dispensary launched as New York’s first licensed home delivery cannabis service earlier this year, and now retired U.S. Marine Osbert Orduna has expanded his venture to New Jersey, according to NJBiz. The flagship storefront was first unveiled on Nov. 9 in Jersey City.
Orduna, who acts as the company’s CEO, said that the date of the launch, which came right before Veteran’s Day, was intentional. As a veteran of the Iraq War, he said that opening Jersey City’s first service-disabled, veteran-owned business “makes this week even more special to us and our team.”
Orduna is a first-generation Latino American who grew up in New York City public housing, expressing his firsthand knowledge of “the indignity of what it feels like to personally be stopped and frisked nearly 100 times, which is what happened to me as a kid and young adult for doing nothing else other than being a poor Latino growing up in the ‘hood.’”
Orduna was also an Education Opportunity Fund scholar and the first in his family to attend college, receive a business degree and graduate certificate in law. He also earned the designation of disabled veteran while deployed in Iraq and serving for the U.S. Marine Corps.
After his time in the military, Orduna turned his attention back to his business focus and entrepreneurship, namely looking at cannabis as an alternative to prescription opioid drugs for veterans dealing with PTSD. It’s not an uncommon topic in the cannabis world and one of many similar stories in the U.S., as many cannabis and hemp business owners look toward the healing power of cannabis as a less addictive and harmful alternative for veterans.
For Orduna, starting his own cannabis business gave him a chance to incorporate his military background and life experiences, demonstrating how cannabis businesses can promote economic empowerment and equity within their local communities.
Specifically, The Cannabis Place is focused on launching social equity dispensaries that create union careers offering employees livable wages, no-cost health benefits and retirement plans, specifically looking to uplift marginalized communities, veterans and those most affected by the failed War on Drugs.
Out the gate, Orduna has started to create some of those community ties with the Cannabis Place. In partnership with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360, the first ever cannabis retail pre-apprenticeship training program was completed just before the dispensary’s grand opening.
The two-week course was held at the Cannabis Place’s community impact room adjacent to its Jersey City Shop, seeing nearly two dozen local participants learning the basics of working in a cannabis retail environment through UFCW. After graduation, Orduna said that every student was able to begin their journey to a unionized cannabis dispensary career with The Cannabis Place.
“We are a partner with our local community,” said Orduna. “That means running an ethical, pro-union company and boosting the prospects and prosperity of our neighbors. The Cannabis Place does that and is living proof that workforce investment equals immediate positive community impact. People now have opportunities for union careers here, no one was bringing this opportunity to the south side of Jersey City, I am proud to say that we are leading by example. People deserve an opportunity, whatever their background and skill level, and regardless of their history.”
Hugh Giordano, director of organizing at UFCW Local 360, shared the impact of the move, in that Orduna was the first to make such a move. In partnering with UFCW, Giordano said that Orduna is helping to harness the potential of, highlight and train “ambitious, local, but often overlooked talent.” He also said that the model is scalable and repeatable, delivering a “great value” for employees, owners and consumers alike.
“The best employers recognize the enormous untapped pool of amazing talent out there. Programs like this help attract that talent and release its potential,” Giodano said.
