It’s been nearly a year since New Jersey voters passed a referendum to legalize marijuana—and on Thursday, regulators approved initial rules for the program that will set up the state’s retail market.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) has been taking public testimony for months on proposed rules, with advocates pushing for equity and inclusivity, and industry stakeholders pushing for policies that don’t place undue burdens on businesses as the market matures.
The body, which met for a private executive session on Thursday before opening the conversation up to a public meeting, emphasized that its rules are centrally focused on ensuring equity and safety.
“We knew that we had a Herculean task before us because, when we started this agency, there was nothing to begin with,” Dianna Houenou, chair of NJCRC, said at the state of the meeting. And she thanked stakeholders who commented throughout the rulemaking process because the input “helped us understand how to do this work and do it right.”
Read more at Marijuana Moment