The year 2024 marked a period of significant advancements, regulatory developments, and continued commitment to equity within the New Jersey cannabis industry. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) achieved numerous milestones, fostering a transparent and thriving market while prioritizing consumer safety and inclusivity.

Agency Highlights and Organizational Changes

April brought leadership changes to NJ-CRC, with Christopher Riggs stepping in as the acting executive director following Jeff Brown’s tenure, which spanned three years. During this transition, Deputy Executive Director Kelly Anderson-Thomas also departed after playing a crucial role in launching New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis market. Their contributions helped lay a strong foundation for further industry expansion.

Throughout the year, NJ-CRC expanded its workforce by approximately 15% and introduced several enhancements to its website, including new sections on Compliance and Investigations, Government Relations, and a step-by-step guide for business applications. Additionally, a searchable database was launched, allowing users to filter municipalities that permit adult-use cannabis businesses by county and business class.

Public engagement efforts also increased with the introduction of CRC High Points, NJ-CRC’s official podcast, launched in February. This podcast provided educational insights, policy updates, and industry discussions, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to public awareness.

Medicinal Cannabis Program Growth

The state’s Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP) continued its expansion, welcoming 24,646 new patients in 2024. Anxiety remained the most commonly cited qualifying condition, accounting for 39% of new registrations.

Key Program Updates:

• Digital MCP Cards: In June, NJ-CRC introduced free digital medicinal cannabis cards, with physical cards still available at a reduced fee of $10.
• Clinical Registrant Licenses: Regulations were established for clinical registrants, allowing organizations to collaborate with academic institutions for medicinal cannabis research. Once fully implemented, these registrants will cultivate, manufacture, and dispense medicinal cannabis to patients.
• Patient Support Initiatives: Registration clinics were held in Trenton, Newark, and Atlantic City, offering on-site assistance with applications, caregiver changes, and document submissions. More than 55 patients received MCP cards at these events, while many others gained valuable guidance.

Licensing and Market Expansion

The cannabis industry in New Jersey reached notable milestones in 2024, with at least one operational cannabis business in every county and 206 municipalities—approximately 36% of the state’s 564 municipalities—allowing cannabis businesses.

2024 Licensing Overview:

• 2,805 applications submitted
• 1,524 conditional recreational licenses approved
• 220 annual licenses granted
• 338 operational licenses for adult-use and medicinal cannabis businesses
• 80 expanded Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs)

A major development occurred in September when NJ-CRC integrated medicinal cannabis businesses into the same licensing platform as adult-use operators. This transition streamlined applications, renewals, and documentation submissions, improving efficiency for businesses.

Additionally, NJ-CRC hosted several roundtable discussions with stakeholders, offering business operators, social equity applicants, and healthcare professionals a platform to discuss licensing challenges, product safety, vertical integration, and purchase limits. These discussions provided valuable insights that will shape future regulatory improvements.

Compliance and Consumer Safety

Ensuring consumer safety remained a top priority throughout the year. NJ-CRC’s Compliance Unit conducted 217 investigations, addressing consumer complaints and business practices identified during on-site inspections. The majority of compliance issues were resolved through direct engagement with businesses, leading to corrective actions.

Key Enforcement Actions:

• A product recall in July involving specific cannabis flower and pre-rolls.
• Issuance of 14 Notices of Violation related to labeling, data discrepancies, improper storage, and insufficient support for medicinal cannabis patients.

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

NJ-CRC continued to prioritize equity and inclusion, exceeding statutory benchmarks for fostering a diverse cannabis market. By October, nearly half of all awarded annual licenses belonged to minority-owned (47%) or woman- and disabled veteran-owned businesses (44%).

Equity Milestones:

• 17% of licenses awarded to Black-owned businesses (compared to 10% of all New Jersey businesses).
• 13% of licenses awarded to Asian-owned businesses.
• 16% of licenses granted to social equity applicants.
• 620 licenses issued to Hispanic or Latino business owners.

Market Performance

New Jersey’s cannabis industry experienced substantial revenue growth in 2024, generating significant economic contributions.

Sales and Tax Revenue:

• Medicinal cannabis sales: $66.9 million
• Recreational cannabis sales: $722.9 million
• Total tax revenue: $43.3 million
• Social Equity Excise Fees (SEEF) collected: $2.2 million

Flower remained the top-selling product, accounting for 41% of total sales, followed by vape cartridges (29%) and edibles (14%).

Social Equity Excise Fee (SEEF) Contributions

The Social Equity Excise Fee (SEEF) directly supports education, economic development, and social services in communities impacted by past cannabis criminalization. In 2024, the SEEF generated $6.1 million, with an increase in the fee to $2.50 per ounce of usable and unusable cannabis, effective January 1, 2025.

Safe Use Campaign

NJ-CRC launched the Cannabis Smart. Cannabis Safe. campaign to educate the public on responsible cannabis use, including youth prevention, driving safety, and senior awareness. The campaign reached over 50 million impressions across social media, digital ads, and community outreach efforts. A particularly effective initiative targeted teenagers, achieving a click-through rate 22.5 times higher than the industry average.

Looking Ahead to 2025

The momentum is expected to continue in 2025, with further market expansion and regulatory advancements. Applications for cannabis consumption areas opened in January 2025, with priority given to social equity and diversely owned businesses.

As the industry grows, NJ-CRC remains committed to equity, safety, and transparency. Stakeholders and consumers are encouraged to stay informed by attending public meetings, listening to the CRC High Points podcast, and following the agency’s social media channels for the latest updates.

Disclaimer

The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. Individuals should consult a healthcare professional regarding medical conditions and cannabis use in treatment plans.