The New Jersey Department of Health picked 6 winners out of 146 applications, including one in Paterson, on Monday to grow medical marijuana and open dispensaries.
New licenses double the state’s medical marijuana program from 6 to 12 dispensaries. Business that received initial approval are listed below:
- NETA NJ, LLC in Phillipsburg
- GTI New Jersey, LLC in Paterson
- Verano NJ, LLC to operate grow facility in Rahway and dispensary in Elizabeth.
- Justice Grown in Ewing
- MPX New Jersey grow facility in Galloway and dispensary in Atlantic City
- Columbia Care New Jersey in Vineland.
“Six very strong applicants were selected, including minority-owned and women-owned businesses,” New Jersey health commissioner Shereef Elnahal said in a statement. “We will meet with them early next year to refine their timetable for growing product and opening their doors. We are committed to an equitable expansion of supply to meet growing patient demand, and these new locations will reach patients that currently have to travel longer distances to obtain the therapy.”
The expansion follows the doubling of the number of medical marijuana patients to 38,000, according to the state.
Before receiving approval to grow marijuana, the six applicants must pass background checks, provide evidence of a dispensary location, municipal approval, and comply with safety and security requirements.
A six-person committee, made up of experts, reviewed the applications and picked winners.