The conference drew about 200 eager insiders to an upscale venue in Newark, offering them the opportunity to mix, mingle and get an exclusive scoop on what’s to come for New Jersey’s budding legal weed market.
If you’re not in politics, you’re not in cannabis, James told attendees, as she discussed how she and her husband made history in 2010 when they opened Simply Pure — the, a Trenton-native. This was the first Black-owned social equity firm to be granted a retailer license by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
A buzzing topic among aspiring cannabis business owners revolved around the challenges of securing municipal approval, a crucial step required before applying for an annual state license to open their dispensary.
License applicants should take on the role of educating towns about legal weed and destigmatizing the plant if they want to persuade local officials who have chosen to opt out of allowing cannabis businesses in their community, Watterman said. If the recommendation were to be approved, this could open doors for more research on cannabis that could and influence investors to get into the market, said Michael Correia, a D.C. lobbyist with the National Cannabis Industry Association, in a session called “Local and Federal Policy: What’s Next for NJ’s Cannabis Marketplace.”