New Jersey’s cannabis industry continues to take shape with several new developments. And the latest thing could be cannabis consumption lounges. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved proposed rules at its meeting last Friday that would allow any cannabis retailer to have indoor or outdoor enclosed consumption lounges. Under the rules, the lounges would be open to those 21 or older, and no alcohol or tobacco would be permitted. Just like the state’s breweries and wineries, no food would be sold on-site but customers could bring in food. If final approval is given, New Jersey will join six other states that allow such lounges. Before the rules are adopted, the commission will hold a 60-day public comment period.
Hudson County is getting its first recreational cannabis store in a couple of weeks, after the state’s cannabis board gave approval to an application from Harmony Dispensary. Harmony, based in Secaucus, has been operating as a medical marijuana facility since 2018.
New Jersey’s tourism industry looks bright as we head into the new year. At a tourism conference last week in Atlantic City, officials projected that in 2023, 116 million visitors will visit the state — a level not seem since before the pandemic. The Division of Travel and Tourism had additional funding to market the Garden State, said executive director Jeff Vasser, who added the division will expand its outreach efforts, targeting additional states in the U.S. as well as the international market.
