Legal recreational marijuana now on sale in New Jersey

The sale of recreational marijuana began Thursday in New Jersey – the first time it is legally available for non-medical purposes in the New York City and Philadelphia regions.

State officials estimate that 12% of eligible adults – about 836,000 people – will use recreational cannabis. The first dispensaries to be licensed were already selling medical marijuana legally in the state.

“It’s a long time coming. We’re excited about it. We have been getting ready and I think it’s going to show,” Adam Goers, a senior vice president for corporate affairs at Columbia Care, who operates two of the dispensaries told the Wall Street Journal. 

Goers estimated that New Jersey could see around $500 million in recreational marijuana sales this year.

Recreational use of marijuana is legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia, even though it is still regulated is a controlled substance by the federal government.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) campaigned on the legalization of marijuana when he first ran for office in 2017. Its sale is restricted to those at least 21 years old.

Because of its location, New Jersey regulators estimate that they will see about 788,000 “tourism consumers” from New York City, Philadelphia and other out-of-state areas.

New York legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana in 2021 but has not yet set up the process to license dispensaries. Pennsylvania only allows marijuana for medical use, which they will also be able to purchase at the New Jersey dispensaries.

Employers criticized the legalization, saying it could decrease workplace safety and impair performance.

“We cannot and should not wait for an accident to happen before the state acts on workplace safety,” said Ray Cantor, vice president of government affairs at the New Jersey Business and Industry Association.