The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) threatened to temporarily suspend the cultivation license of the large Multi-State Operator (MSO) Columbia Care, fined others, and announced 2 Commissioners are leaving.
MSO Columbia Care Threatened for Anti-Labor Actions
Acting Executive Director Christopher Riggs explained that Columbia Care is not following through when their workers want a union and a new contract.
Commissioner Krista Nash explained that the UFCW union did a card check at the Columbia Care Vineland cultivation facility, where the workers want to join the union. She added that while the National Labor Relations Board does not protect agricultural workers, NJ law allows them to be in a union.
“Columbia Care interfered at a ratification (union vote) meeting by having a representation of management at the meeting,” Nash noted.
She said they are required to work with the union by law. So, Nash wanted to suspend their medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses for 2 days.
“If Columbia Care can demonstrate progress in a ratification vote, the order can be lifted,” she noted.
“When does that take effect?” Vice Chair Sam Delgado asked.
NJCRC Chair Dianna Houenou explained they have 72 hours to correct it. If no correction is made, the suspension would go into effect immediately.
“The record clearly demonstrates evidence of bad faith in the collective bargaining negotiations,” she added.
Houenou said they could lift the suspension quickly.
The NJCRC approved it 4-0, with Commissioner Maria Del Cid-Kosso abstaining.
Prolific Growhouse Fined for Multiple Violations
Riggs said they visited the grower Prolific Growhouse, and 6 violations were discovered.
Their manufacturing room was not approved by the NJCRC. In addition, it didn’t have cameras as required by regulations. Also, the main entrance to the place. Packaged cannabis was not secure enough either.
Furthermore, many plants did not have mandatory METRC tags to track them. Finally, an employee with a record was working without an official badge.
“I move to impose a $6,000 penalty,” Nash said.
Houenou said they were notified and failed to address certain issues.
The NJCRC approved it 5-0.
Prolific Growhouse was also fined earlier this year in February 2025.
Notably, Governor Phil Muphy visited them last year.
Baked by the River Dispensary Fined for Generosity
Riggs said that Baked by the River dispensary of Lambertville had an offsite event where they were too generous giving out free legal weed, known as sampling.
Houenou moved to impose a penalty of $2,000 for the violation.
“While I understand and sympathize with the desire to provide a mechanism to sample products … our regulations are clear, and the law also states no sampling or gifting products…,” Houenou said.
“The fine here is warranted and reasonable….,” she claimed.
“I agree with you,” Delgado said.
“Educating our licenses is very important, so this doesn’t happen again. Next time, it could be a more severe violation,” Del Cid-Kosso said. “When in doubt, definitely reach out to us.”
“I take no great pleasure in fining any businesses,” Delgado argued.
“I agree with that as well,” Nash noted.
The NJCRC approved the $2,000 fine 5-0.
Baked by the River Testifies
Later in the meeting, Baked by the River CEO Jesse Marie Villars said her micro-owned business was not prioritized when it was supposed to be, according to the NJCRC’s rules.
“The NJCRC lost our application and didn’t respond for months!” Villars exclaimed.
She accused them of meeting with their larger rival, Union Chill, which opened before them. Villars noted it is being sold to the MSO TerrAscend.
They announced they’re making it their 4th NJ location last month. TerrAscend is among the companies that found loopholes in the ownership rules.
“It was the corporate competitor that reported my business,” Villars added. “Instead of working with us and responding to my multiple attempts for communications… the NJCRC chose to punish us with a violation.”
She said large corporations also often give out samples.
“I don’t recall approving a change to TerrAscend,” Nash said.
Riggs later said that earlier in the meeting, they allowed Union Chill to redistribute the deceased owner’s shares and did not approve the sale to TerrAscend.
Public Comment Favoring Baked by the River
“They are kind-hearted good people who are genuinely doing everything in their power to follow the rules,” Veda Warrior oil maker CEO Smrita Choubey noted about Baked by the River.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous hurting a small business like that!” leading advocate of Sativa Cross Edward “Lefty” Grimes exclaimed while testifying remotely.
Aunt Mary’s Dispensary Fined for Selling Expired Products to Employees
Riggs said Aunt Mary’s dispensary sold expired products to their employees which you’re not supposed to do.
Nash said they should fine them $5,000
Delgado thought it should just be $2,500.
Del Cid-Kosso noted the need to extend shelf life has been raised.
The NJCRC then imposed the $2,500 fine 5-0.
Last Day of Delgado and Del Cid-Kosso
Houenou announced that Delgado and Del Cid-Kosso are leaving the NJCRC.
“…The blood, sweat, and tears you have poured into this work really has shaped the cannabis industry…,” she declared.
Nash noted that her concerns on batch size, labor, and prices were kept in check by Delgado with his pro-business views.
“I will miss their presence in the office tremendously,” she said.
“I am really going to miss sitting here…,” Del Cid-Kosso said.
She said the NJCRC is making the NJ cannabis market a national model.
“We’ve navigated uncharted waters and we worked to build a regulatory framework rooted in equity, in public health, and economic opportunity,” Delgado said.
However, “you cannot regulate every human interaction,” he argued.
Delgado maintained that regulations stifle innovation and can hurt small businesses. He noted that large businesses can absorb compliance costs far more easily. Delgado also criticized increasing the SEEF tax on cannabis businesses.
Conversion License Winners
1 Skinner Farms LLC Cultivator Microbusiness
2 Megaleaf LLC Cultivator Microbusiness
3 Lilac Dispensary LLC Retailer Standard
4 7806 Nice Dreamz LLC Retailer Standard
Annual License Winners
1 Eastern Tiger LLC Cultivator Standard
2 Eastern Tiger LLC Manufacturer Standard
3 High End Gardens Cultivator Standard
4 High End Gardens Manufacturer Standard
5 Mr Nice Guys AC LLC Manufacturer Standard
6 Natural Apothecary Manufacturer Standard
7 Reilly Farms LLC Manufacturer Standard
8 Mr Nice Guys AC LLC Retailer Standard
9 The Smugglers Club Rockaway LLC Retailer Standard
They were approved 5-0.
NJ Cannabis License Changes
Riggs said Brighterside Farms wants to expand its operation to include a 3rd grow room, a staging room, and a 2nd storage room.
The MSO Green Thumb Industries (GTI) in Hackettstown wants to grow between 25,000 and 50,000 square feet.
Union Chill, Sun Extractions, Lemon 22 LLC, MOM NJ, and Green Group Grown wanted to change their ownership structure, while Nimbus Farms wanted to transfer ownership.
They were approved 5-0.
Annual NJ Cannabis License Renewals
CR noted that a few annual licenses were up for renewal. Green Medicine and Theory Wellness completed their first year of operations.
The following got through their 2nd year:
- MPX NJ
- NJ Leaf
- The Social Leaf
- West Orange Farms
- Ginger Hale
- Simple Pure Trenton NJ LLC
- Treeotics
- Prolific Growhouse
The NJCRC approved the renewals.
Conversion to Adult-use Cannabis Sales Issues
Riggs said Noble Valley Harvest Company, a medicinal cannabis cultivator, wanted to get into the adult-use cannabis market without paying the mandatory large fee.
“While I sympathize with the requestor’s detailed explanation… we cannot impose a new fee. We would have to waive the entire fee,” Houenou said.
The NJCRC denied it 5-0.
Nova Farms Woodbury does not like bar codes on their packages. They want to use QR Codes. Houenou said by law and regulation, certain information must be on packages, and QR codes might be too big to fit everything.
So, the CRC denied it 5-0.
At the end of the meeting, Houenou said they sympathize with struggling cannabis entrepreneurs.
