The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) provisionally renewed the large corporate Multi-State Operator (MSO) Curaleaf’s license despite labor issues, while the Chair defended their equity goals.
Curaleaf License Threatened Over Labor Issues
“I’m recommending that we have a conditional approval of Curaleaf’s renewal,” Acting Executive Director Christopher Riggs explained.
“…The maintenance of a Labor Peace Agreement (LPAs) is required…,” he noted.
LPAs are supposed to ensure that workers have access and information about labor unions.
“We are recommending that the conditional of renewal be that an LPA be submitted prior to October 30th… If no LPA is submitted, the license will not be approved for renewal,” Riggs said.
“I hope they comply with the statue,” Chair Dianna Houenou said. “If they choose not to, that is of course their decision. And thus, the license would not be renewed.”
The CRC approved it conditionally 3-0.
Curaleaf had its adult-use cannabis license denied in 2023 due to labor issues. It was probably quickly reinstated because high-end lobbyists badgered government officials.
Annual NJ Cannabis License Renewals
Riggs noted 61 other NJ cannabis licenses were up for renewal:
- Garden Greenz (1)
- Brighterside Canopy LLC (1)
- Fernway Garden State LLC (1)
- Cloud Nine Dispensary (1)
- Camden Apothecary (1)
- The Cannabis Place 420 Corp (1)
- Ayr Wellness NJ LLC (1)
- BLOC (1)
- GTI New Jersey LLC (1)
- HoneyGrove South Corp (1)
- Everest Dispensary (1)
- High Grass Farms (1)
- NJ Leaf North Brunswick (1)
- Magic Garden Botanicals LLC (1)
- Hackettstown Dispensary LLC (1)
- NAR Cannabis (1)
- 1634 Funk LLC (1)
- Hello High Dispensary LLC (1)
- Soulflora Inc (1)
- Joy Leaf NJ LLC (1)
- Garden Greens LLC (1)
- Springfield Avenue Dispensary (1)
- Victory Natural Farms (1)
- Garden Greens NJ LLC (1)
- Green Group Grows NJ (1)
- Hazy Harvest LLC (1)
- Phasal (1)
- Woodbury Wellness LLC (1)
- Altitude Cannabis LLC (1)
- Bass River Buds LLC (1)
- Greater Purpose (1)
- Zen Leaf Mount Holly LLC (1)
- Green Wellness Haven LLC (1)
- North Lake Supply (1)
- Ascend NJ (1)
- Pure Blossom LLC (1)
- Bud 2 Bloom LLC (1)
- Baked by the River (1)
- Lovegrow Company LLC (1)
- Evolve Cannabis LLC (1)
- Voltaire NJ Inc (1)
- Hamilton Farms (1)
- Med Leaf LLC (1)
- Inclusion Gourmet (1)
- Loud Labs NJ (1)
- Herb’s Premium Dispensary (1)
- Elevated Herb LLC (1)
- E.V. LLC (1)
- Highway 90 LLC (1)
- Hashery LLC (1)
- High Street Dispensary (1)
- Budzooka Dispensary LLC (1)
- Taste of Earth LLC (1)
- Fresh Dispensary Eatontown (1)
- Hearth Wellness LLC (1)
- AC Leef LLC (1)
- Releaf Newton LLC (1)
- High Profile Cannabis Shop Somerdale Inc (1)
- The Dispensary of Saddle Brook (1)
- Green Lightning Cultivation (1)
- Acreage CCF NJ (1)
They were approved 3-0.
CRC Chair Defends Legal Jersey Cannabis Progress
“New Jersey is consistently recognized by industry participants, lenders, and even other cannabis regulators as doing terrific work,” Houenou argued.
She maintained they’re making good progress and provide a lot of information. Houenou also contended they are accessible to applicants and businesspeople.
“Every state that has legalized cannabis for adults has encountered challenges, chief among them juggling competing goals and managing sometimes unrealistic external expectations,” she argued.
“New Jersey is a national leader and other states have noticed,” Houenou declared. “Nonetheless, detractors have continued to push false or misleading narratives about the work of the Commission.”
“For more than a year, these detractors have taken aim against this Board specifically for its diligent action, trying to pressure the agency away from doing what is in the best interests of the industry and enforcing the law,” she noted.
Stopping a Monopoly
“We’ve been criticized for holding to the guardrails that protect new entrepreneurs. But those protections have resulted in a market that is being lauded for being diverse along racial, cultural, and socioeconomic lines,” Houenou explained.
“We continue to hear complaints about the financial burdens of processing times,” she noted.
Houenou said they don’t control the timeline of mandated background checks nor town approval, and real estate issues.
“Only the legislature can reduce those burdens…,” she explained.
Houenou said they worked to address education and financing issues with the Economic Development Authority (NJ-EDA) and the NJ Business Action Center (NJBAC).
“To stand up not one but two state-sponsored assistance programs that garnered national praise,” Houenou said.
She said the legislature can address more issues.
“But many have chosen to throw barbs and stones rather than take action to make the industry accessible and beneficial for everyone,” Houenou noted.
She said if not for NJCRC Commissioners and senior staff, “this would be the opaque monopolistic spectacle that people feared would take shape.”
“The New Jersey Cannabis Regulator Commission remains committed to the values of equity and safety and serving with the integrity and transparency that New Jerseyans deserve,” Houenou declared.
She did not specify who the “detractors” were.
But the goal of eliminating legal cannabis market competition through shady means is well known to be desired by large MSOs.
