As the state board that governs the Garden State’s legal weed market prepares to adopt revised rules and regulations in the coming weeks, New Jersey’s cannabis business community continues to move forward, working to expand the market.
Among the changes ahead is a lift in the cap placed on the number of growers allowed in the state.
Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, recently told NJ Cannabis Insider, “I’ve been clear since day one, even before the legislation was passed, that 37 growers is not an adequate number to serve the population of the state.”
Earlier this month, the CRC issued regulations governing the operation of consumption lounges; It’s also making strides toward helping small businesses, especially those harmed by the war on drugs, navigate the obstacles posed by uncertain municipalities.
To that end, NJ Cannabis Insider, the state’s only trade journal covering the industry beyond 2018, is holding its first conference of the year on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Newark Airport. Tickets are limited.
From winning approval from unfamiliar municipal leaders to operate in their cities, to finding the right piece of real estate in a notoriously tight market to obtaining capital to launch a viable operation, small-business owners don’t have it easy in the multi-billion dollar space. Dollar industry, said Lavín.
“We are designing a program in which attendees can walk away with actionable information provided by some of the most knowledgeable business leaders in our industry,” he said. “As you’ll see, many of those we named our 23 to watch in 2023 have already confirmed to speak.”
Speakers so far have included:
- Edmond DeveauxPresident of the NJ CannaBusiness Association, the state’s cannabis chamber of commerce
- Jessica GonzalezAn advocate, educator and consultant representing the NJ Business Action Center’s Technical Assistance Program
- Rob MejiaAuthor, entrepreneur and cannabis instructor at Stockton University
- David CunickFounder of UCS Advisors, an investor relations specialist
- Darrin Chandler Jr., owner of Premium Genetics, and an executive at RIPCO Real Estate
- Faye ColemanFounder of Pure Genesis and owner of Endo, a soon-to-open dispensary/consumption lounge in Atlantic City
- Molly Hartman LustigChair of the Cannabis Law Practice at McLaughlin & Stern
- Head FigaroCo-founder of CannPowerment and owner of But-A-Kake, a Jersey City-based company specializing in cannabis-infused foods
- Ronald MondelloMunicipal and land-use attorney for several New Jersey municipalities
- Tiahn Bryant, CEO and co-founder of Roll Up Life, an East Orange delivery and technology company
- Precious Osagie EreseCOO and Co-Founder at Roll Up Life
- Todd Poliniak, Partner at SAX, Cannabis Accounting
- Warren HarassVP of Regulatory Compliance at Cannaspire
Among the topics the day-long conference will cover are:
- Best practices for obtaining municipal approvals
- What is needed to raise capital?
- Navigating the real estate market
- What should conditional and annual license holders do now?
- How to get the most out of government agencies set up to help you
The conference will include a vendor exhibit space as well as multiple search areas, education outlets, niche products and services, and curated speed-networking sessions designed for licensees to connect with as many like-minded people as possible in a short amount of time. Time period, said Lavín.
Click here To purchase tickets. Space is getting limited. Social Equity applicants should take advantage of the discount option on the ticket page.
NJ Cannabis Insider NJ is a weekly subscriber-based online trade journal and events group produced by Advance Media, which also publishes NJ.com, The Star-Ledger and other affiliated papers.
