Lines wrapped around buildings as New Jerseyans 21 and older gained access to 12 adult-use cannabis dispensaries when the state officially launched its licensed retail program on April 21. The results? The 12 retail locations sold nearly $1.9 million in adult-use cannabis and products to 12,438 customers, or roughly $150 per transaction, according to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC). CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown said in a statement April 27 that the 12 retail locations, which were already established medical cannabis dispensaries, did not report negative impacts to their medical cannabis supply amidst the adult-use rollout, the Asbury Park Press reported. “We expected sales to be substantial, and the data shows that the market is effectively serving both adult-use consumers and patients,” Brown said. “We continue to monitor inventory and access for patients and are prepared to take enforcement action against any [retailer] that does not meet the requirements for patient access and supply.” CRC officials had delayed the application and licensing process leading up to last week’s commercial sales launch—a full 534 days after New Jersey voters passed Question 1 in the November 2020 election. The commission’s rationale was partly to ensure state-licensed businesses were ready to provide an adequate supply of cannabis to both medical and adult-use customers.
William Freedman, Cannabis Business Times, 04/28/2022 10:10:00