Legal Weed Near Newark: Where To Buy Recreational Cannabis – Newark, NJ Patch

NEWARK, NJ — It’s been nearly two years since New Jersey voters legalized recreational cannabis. But the state is ready to begin legal marijuana sales on Thursday, and there are more than a dozen dispensaries that have been cleared to serve the general public – including two in Essex County.

In all, 13 medical marijuana dispensaries will be opening their doors to all customers 21 or over on April 21. The list includes RISE in Bloomfield (26-48 Bloomfield Avenue), and Apothecarium in Maplewood (1865 Springfield, Avenue).

Consumers should check the websites of the approved retailers for specific information on their hours of operation.

The other dispensaries that will begin serving the general public on Thursday are:

  • Apothecarium, 55 South Main Street, Phillipsburg
  • Ascend Wellness, 174 Route 17 North, Rochelle Park
  • RISE, 196 3rd Avenue, #3C, Paterson
  • Zen Leaf, 117 Sprint Street, Elizabeth
  • Zen Leaf, 3256 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township
  • The Botanist, 100 Century Drive, Egg Harbor Township
  • The Botanist, 2090 N Blackhorse Pike, Williamstown
  • The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1692 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford – 5 PM Open for recreational
  • The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1062 North Delsea Drive, Vineland – 5 PM Open for recreational
  • Curaleaf, 640 Creek Road, Bellmawr
  • Curaleaf, 4237 US-130 South, Edgewater Park

While possession of up to six ounces of marijuana has been decriminalized in New Jersey, recreational cannabis customers will only be able to buy a maximum of:

  • One ounce of dried flowers
  • Five grams of concentrates, resins or oils
  • 10 packages (100 mg each) of ingestible items, otherwise known as “edibles,” in a single transaction

Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, said that people should expect all the above locations to be “extremely busy” on Thursday.

Brown said each company has assured state officials that their locations will be able to meet the new demand without disrupting access to patients registered with the state medical cannabis program – one of the conditions they needed to meet to be able to sell to the general public. Read More: New Jersey Marijuana Patients Need Lower Prices, More Weed

Dispensaries are required to put patient access policies in place so that registered patients don’t have to wait on long lines or risk not getting their medicine. Facilities are expected to implement special lines or hours, online ordering, curbside pick-up or home delivery to ensure patient access is uninterrupted.

ADVICE FROM NJ OFFICIALS: ‘GO SLOW’

If it’s been a while since you’ve partaken, it may pay off to “go slow,” Brown cautioned, reminding people that the state’s laws against impaired driving also apply to cannabis.

“Our guests from neighboring states should remember it is illegal to transport cannabis across state lines,” he added.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission offered the following advice for anyone who plans to buy legal marijuana on Thursday:

  • Be patient – expect long lines and wait your turn to be served.
  • Start low and go slow – follow product instructions and remember ingestible products can take longer to take effect than smoking or vaping. Call NJ Poison Center at 800-222-1222 if you are concerned you may have ingested or used too much.
  • Store your legal cannabis products securely, out of the reach of kids. Legal cannabis products are in child safe packaging, but always keep them secure and out of the reach of anyone under the age of 21.
  • Don’t drive while high. Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and dangerous.
  • Don’t cross state lines. It is illegal to transport legal cannabis products from New Jersey outside of New Jersey.
  • Don’t buy more than one ounce. Consumers can’t purchase more than an ounce in a single transaction, and legally cannot possess more than one ounce at any time. Consumers could face criminal penalties if they disregard these limits.

NJ POT LAWS: THE BASICS

New Jersey voters approved recreational marijuana in November 2020. But it wasn’t legal to fire up the bong until Gov. Phil Murphy signed the official framework into law.

Now, adults 21 and over are allowed to consume cannabis on private property. Similar to New Jersey’s alcohol laws, it’s still illegal to smoke or consume marijuana in a public place, such as a park or the beach.

New Jersey residents can’t grow marijuana at home under the state’s current law.

The state’s cannabis laws provide limited protection for employees. New Jersey employers can’t fire or refuse to hire a worker if they use cannabis on their own time. But bosses will still be able to discipline or fire employees if they get high on the job, and can order them to take a drug test if they have “reasonable suspicion” that they did. Random workplace testing and pre-employment drug screenings will still be allowed.

“We recommend that employees clarify workplace rules with their employer’s HR department,” a NJCRC spokesperson told Patch.

CANNABIS 101

There are three main types of cannabis (sativa, indica and hybrid), which are categorized into different “strains.” Some can make people feel energetic and talkative, while others can make them feel sleepy and relaxed.

Many people are familiar with the most common way of consuming cannabis: smoking it in joints, blunts or pipes. But marijuana can also be taken orally in tinctures or eaten in foods such as brownies, a popular option among many medical users who have trouble inhaling it. Some people also opt to “vaporize” their cannabis, a method of heating that uses lower temperatures.

Cannabis can be made into “concentrates” such as hashish, wax or oil, which increases its potency.

It’s difficult to define an average dosage for marijuana, as the drug can have different effects from person to person. The effects usually last anywhere from an hour to six hours.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com