RISE Paramus Not Selling Recreation Marijuana, Company Says

PARAMUS, NJ — Green Thumb New Jersey (GTI), which operates three medical marijuana dispensaries in North Jersey under the name RISE, said it will not expand recreational sales to its Paramus store.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved applications Monday from seven companies, including GTI New Jersey, to expand their medical-cannabis facilities into the recreational market.

"Green Thumb has 3 dispensaries in New Jersey: RISE Paterson and RISE Bloomfield will offer both recreational and medical, and RISE Paramus will remain medical only," a representative for GTI told Patch's Josh Bakan.

Pending inspections, the state will allow the seven companies to expand into recreational services into 13 dispensaries across New Jersey. That could mean adult, recreational sales at New Jersey stores as soon as this month.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to sell recreational cannabis under state law, but have to prioritize their patients, who have been complaining about a chronic lack of supply and high prices for years.

Read More: New Jersey Marijuana Patients Need Lower Prices, More Weed

"We are getting closer to the opening of the market," said Jeff Brown, the state cannabis commission's executive director. "We are approving applications for new applicants and have now made way for the ATCs to expand. We are now tasked with completing inspections of the ATCs and getting them permitted to open for business to the general public."

Patch editor Josh Bakan contributed to this report.