New Jersey marijuana sales start: Here are the states where recreational sales are legal

“Today is the start of an entirely new industry for our state, and a historic moment in our work to advance social and economic justice,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.

by Joseph Guzman | Apr. 21, 2022

The Associated Press/Seth Wenig

Story at a glance

Residents and visitors of New Jersey 21 and older can now legally purchase marijuana.

Voters in the Garden State approved a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana sales in November 2020.

Several other states have legalized recreational marijuana.

Add New Jersey to the growing list of states where recreational marijuana can be purchased.

Starting Thursday, state residents and visitors 21 and older can legally buy marijuana from dispensaries located throughout the state. Marijuana customers are allowed to purchase up to 1 ounce of dried flower, or up to 5 grams of concentrates, resins or oils, or up to 1,000 mg of ingestible products such as gummies, according to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Voters in the Garden State approved a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana sales in November 2020 and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed the measure into law in early 2021. The move comes after advocates pushed for years to legalize cannabis use and put an end to criminal prosecution.

“Today is the start of an entirely new industry for our state, and a historic moment in our work to advance social and economic justice,” Murphy tweeted early Thursday.

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Crowds of eager customers began lining up overnight at several of the state’s dispensaries to be the first to purchase weed legally in the state, according to NJ.com.

Analysts have estimated the state’s marijuana market could soar above $2 billion over the next several years.

While demand for newly legalized pot is expected to be high, just 13 dispensaries were opened in North Jersey in suburbs near New York City, Central Jersey and South Jersey, near Philadelphia.

Notably, the opening of the marijuana marketplace comes just one day after April 20, the unofficial marijuana holiday. The state avoided kicking off sales on 4/20 purposely, saying it would have presented “unmanageable logistical challenges,” according to NJ.com.

New Jersey is now the 18th state in the U.S. to successfully legalize recreational marijuana, nearly a decade after Washington and Colorado became the first two. Since then, legalization in state legislatures has gained momentum despite federal restrictions still in place.

The House earlier this month passed legislation to legalize marijuana nationwide largely along party lines, with three Republicans joining all but two Democrats in support. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is working with Democrats to introduce a legalization bill as soon as this spring.

Here’s where recreational marijuana is legal in the U.S.

Washington – legalized 2012

Colorado – legalized 2012

Oregon – legalized 2014

Alaska – legalized 2014

District of Columbia – legalized 2014

Nevada – legalized 2016

Massachusetts – legalized 2016

Maine – legalized 2016

California – legalized 2016

Michigan – legalized 2018

Illinois – legalized 2019