68 new businesses!

Hello, everyone!

So the licenses are out and the market is starting to take shape. A market is nothing without licenses and how these new businesses fare will set the tone for the rest.

Innovation will be created, difficulties encountered, and hopefully, throughout all of the struggle, good cannabis will emerge.

One of the largest influences that stand over the horizon now is municipalities. This issue is centered around how the market can take place within that context.

Suzette Parmley has the recap on how it all went down at this month’s CRC meeting. More delays with a glimmer of hope. The CRC posted a special meeting for April 11 after it was suggested movement may happen before the next regular meeting scheduled in May.

Sue Livio, ever the OG reporter, also provides additional context on what that could mean going from here. I have a sidebar on some of the racial data we’ve been asking for that CRC released today.

Jonathan Salant comes through with a story on the death and legacy of Rep. Don Young of Alaska, one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

Our resident weed professor Rob Mejia also weighs in with takeaways from the education panel.

Meanwhile, we’ll be keeping on eye on Cresco Labs $2 billion bid to buy Columbia Care, which operates with a medical license in New Jersey.

There’s one more week to enter your vote for your favorite cannabis companies nominated for the state’s first-ever cannabis business awards. Read our NJ.com announcement here or scroll down to vote.

Also, our next career fair in collaboration with Stockton University and the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association is on April 5. We just confirmed NJCBA founder Scott Rudder as keynote speaker, and a slew of other great speakers. Find your discount code inside.

Until next time…

— Jelani Gibson

Market opening delayed, but 68 new businesses win licenses in historic vote

In a surprise move, the state cannabis commission delayed approving the expansion of eight medical marijuana dispensaries to start selling recreational weed as soon as late April.

The Cannabis Regulatory Commission did approve 68 cultivators and manufacturers for conditional licenses. However, those operations are not expected to launch until the fall at the earliest.

The expansion of the eight alternate treatment centers to begin selling weed, expected by industry experts, was put on hold as CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown said the commission wants plans for how they can accommodate both medical marijuana patients and those seeking to buy recreational cannabis.

Brown said the centers simply don’t have enough weed, contending the market may be short by 100,000 pounds to meet both medical and recreational populations.

“We may not be 100% there today, but I assure you we will get there,” said Brown, before the board voted 5-0 to table voting on the expanded ATC applications. “We have a few things to address and when we address them I’m happy to return to this body with a further update.”

“Our goal is to work with the industry and the industry to work with us so at the very next CRC meeting we have a cohort of ATCS that are turn-key to launch this market here, simply pending a vote by this commission,” Brown said. “If for any that are still not there, hopefully (they’ll be) ready for conditional approval pending certain timelines and regulatory milestones that we can work to get done.”

Brown said the CRC would allow the alternative treatment centers to expand weed supply as quickly as possible.

Brown said the commission will conduct site visits in the next few weeks of the eight ATCs to make sure they can handle both medical and recreational marijuana customers, noting that the commission wants separate lines and entrances for customers.

Brown said he also wants a commitment the dispensaries will hire people with past past marijuana arrests or people who come from disadvantaged areas.

The New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association said in a statement that while it “remains optimistic that the CRC will sooner rather than later open the adult-use cannabis market in New Jersey … we admit to being disappointed with today’s decision to further continue its delay.”

“In November 2020, New Jerseyans made it very clear that they wanted a safe and legal adult-use cannabis marketplace in the state,” the industry group said. “It goes without saying that no one could have foreseen that some 16 months later, we would still be waiting to see this come to fruition.”

Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, the architect behind both the state’s medical and adult recreational cannabis bills, was incensed over the CRC’s latest delay.

“Totally unacceptable,” Scutari texted. “The Senate is weighing its options with regard to oversight.”

It was unclear how long the delay will be. The dispensaries are not allowed to begin sales without the commission’s approval, and the next board hearing is for May 24. Vice chairman Sam Delgado suggested holding a hearing next month. A few hours after the meeting, the CRC posted a special meeting for April 11 on its website.

The panel approved 68 cultivators and manufacturers for conditional licenses as a social equity measure to give the smaller operations a piece of what is expected to be a multi-billion dollar industry alongside multi-state operators and well-heeled investors.

“This is a historic action that the Board is proposed to take with these first conditional licenses to sell adult use recreational cannabis in the state of New Jersey,” Brown said at the meeting. “I am humbled to make this announcement.”

Starting weed sales by spring would align with Gov. Phil Murphy’s revised fiscal year 2022 state budget proposal, which now anticipates $4 million in cannabis state sales revenue by June 30.

Murphy campaigned for the state’s top office on legalizing adult-use recreational cannabis in 2017 to what he said then was a way to help communities most harmed by the nation’s war on drugs that disproportionally affected Black and Hispanic men. Murphy signed the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act into law on Feb. 22, 2021.

New York is racing to have its adult-use cannabis market opened by the end of this year. Pennsylvania wants it too.

“It’s not gonna be months,” Murphy said during his regular TV show on News 12 Thursday of the latest delay for New Jersey. “The way this is supposed to work, and it is working this way: If a medical dispensary can prove it has more than enough supply for its medical customers, it’s at least eligible. Assuming it meets all the other requirements, it should be deemed eligible. I believe it will still be a matter of weeks. It’s not gonna be months.”

“Equity is a huge part of our proposition here,” said Murphy. “I know that may take longer than folks otherwise would like. The equity and making sure we have an industry that looks like our state, that is not just in words but in action, a step tangibly to undoing the war on drugs. That’s easier said than done. We want to get it more right than any other state.”

“But the medical piece, I feel like this remains a matter of weeks. I can’t tell you how many or on what day, but they’re very close,” added the governor.

— Suzette Parmley | NJ.com

(NJ Cannabis Insider file photo)

March 24 was a very good day for the Good Lettuce Company.

The aspiring cannabis cultivator and manufacturer is one of 68 companies chosen by the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission for a conditional license to produce weed for the future recreational cannabis market.

After investing hundreds of thousands of dollars and getting shut out of opening a medical cannabis business in Orange last year, Travis Ally, Good Lettuce’s president, said he was feeling “emotional” about the opportunities that lie ahead. Good Lettuce holds a lease on a 200,000-square-foot warehouse in Pennsville, Salem County.

The application has the full support of the Pennsville governing body, Mayor Robert McDade said. “We are very excited to see what they are going to do with the place.”

“It’s a very exciting day,” Ally, founder of the Black-owned business, told NJCI after the vote. “It’s been a long time coming.”

Awarding the 68 conditional licenses was the commission’s most promising move yet toward its mission of launching the legal weed industry. In choosing company owners who are 49% Black, the commission said the stats indicated the first step in making the industry representative of people who were harmed the most by the war on drugs. Latino-owned companies represent 13% of the 68 chosen applicants, and Asian companies 6%, according to commission data.

The commission created conditional licenses to give newcomers leeway in meeting application requirements — such as leasing a property — in order to compete in an industry dominated by well-financed, multi-state operators. They have 120 days to meet all the application requirements.

“It’s a great day for social equity,” said Fruqan Mouzon, an attorney representing three clients among the 68 successful applicants.

One client, who is Black, had been arrested numerous times for minor marijuana offenses, Mouzon said.

“He has a nice middle-class job but no business experience. I teamed him with a licensed hemp grower. He went out and raised some money and now he is off to the races,” Mouzon said.

Another social equity client who won a conditional license had a few marijuana arrests, Mouzon said. “He went out to California for five years and learned how to cultivate,” Mouzon said. “We are in the process of getting his money right.”

The commission opened the window to the first wave of license applications on Dec. 15, from cannabis growers, product manufacturers and testing labs. The commission began accepting applications from retail operators on March 15.

The commission has said applications from companies owned by minorities, veterans and women, owners with prior marijuana arrests or businesses that will operate in a community disproportionately affected by arrests, poverty and unemployment would jump to the front of the line in the review process.

The 68 applications were selected from a pool of 250 submitted since Dec. 15, said the commission’s Deputy Director Kelly Anderson Thomas, who called the vote “a historic action.”

At the same meeting Thursday, the commission delayed acting on requests from eight medicinal marijuana operators to expand their operations to sell weed to customers 21 and older. The decision surprised and disappointed many, because it remains a mystery when the public will be allowed to buy legal cannabis.

Ally said he expected it would take a year for Good Lettuce to be ready.

But patient advocate Chris Goldstein said he was encouraged by the commission’s actions.

“This is a huge deal that the biggest cannabis corporations (Curaleaf, Columbia Care, etc.) will have to wait for an equitable opening day – alongside small businesses for cannabis sales in New Jersey,” Goldstein wrote in a tweet during the meeting.

“I applaud the NJCRC for taking a bold stand here to protect small businesses, patients and consumers from the interests of the largest national brand,” Goldstein told NJCI.

Mouzon, who was an attorney with the Senate Democratic Office when the legalization bill was a work in progress, said the commission should get some credit for “doing its job.”

“Sure, they aren’t hitting the deadlines. But as someone involved when we were setting those deadlines, looking back and seeing things in the ‘real world,’ some of those deadlines were unrealistic,” he said.

— Susan K. Livio | NJ.com

Cannabis Regulatory Commission slide (CRC meeting Zoom screenshot)

CRC releases racial data on new awardees

Amid criticism that they wouldn’t release racial data on the cannabis market, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission did so March 24, but stopped short of saying they would do so for every round of awards.

“I’m not saying we’re going to do this every round, but I know there’s been some stakeholders that have questioned some things regarding equity in our licensing process,” said CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown at this week’s meeting.

There was a total of 68 conditional license awards for cultivators and manufacturers.

From the group of proposed awardees, 33 were identified as Black or African-American, 9 as Hispanic/Latino of all races, 4 as Asian, 17 white and 5 Other/Not Disclosed, according to info released by the commission at the meeting.

Brown emphasized that the information was preliminary and subject to change upon successful vetting.

Conditional licenses have been seen in the industry as a way to approve applicants before they gained access to other things such as real estate or zoning.

A large complaint in the industry both in New Jersey and others is that applicants were holding on to the real estate and paying other costs while waiting for decisions on their licensure, putting the businesses at financial risk.

New Jersey African American Chamber of Commerce president John Harmon, alongside state Rep. Donald Payne had been two of the commission’s largest critics, alleging that no license awards had been given to Black applicants thus far.

In the course of NJ Cannabis Insider reporting on the issue, one applicant did come forward, whom Harmon later acknowledged, while he still stayed the course on his call for consistent data on the industry’s racial demographics.

Harmon indicated at NJ Cannabis Insider’s spring conference in Carteret that he was in discussions with the cannabis commission and was encouraged by the ongoing conversations.

“In God we trust, but everyone bring your data,” Harmon said last week at a cannabis conference.

At the CRC’s meeting, Commissioner Charles Barker encouraged those affected by the War on Drugs to keep applying.

“We are actively working to set a fair and equitable table,” he said during the meeting. “Here we are trying to provide the plates and the cutlery and the food and the drinks and the desserts to make sure you are well fed and nourished. We need you to come hungry, and ready to eat.”

— Jelani Gibson

Education panel focuses on cannabis employment and drug testing

By Rob Mejia, a regular contributor to NJ Cannabis Insider, is an adjunct professor at Stockton University where he teaches the cannabis courses. He is also the author of “The Essential Cannabis Book” and “The Essential Cannabis Journal.” His cannabis education company is called Our Community Harvest.

Whether a state has a standalone medical cannabis program or a combination medical and adult-use program, the need for education is key. This is especially true when a state moves from a medical to adult-use, the market can expand tenfold and career opportunities blossom. And that’s where New Jersey is. In fact, our adult-use program will open later this year.

Against this backdrop, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel at the most recent NJ Cannabis Insider conference. The panel was comprised of Jennifer Maden, assistant dean at Rowan University, Aubrey Flanagan, manager of Professional and Corporate Development, Raritan Valley Community College, and Marissa Mastrioanni, Employment Law associate attorney at the Cole Schotz law firm.

The panelists were carefully chosen to give different views on how cannabis education should be offered to enrolled students in credit courses for undergraduate or graduate degrees, as well as non-credit options for professionals who are looking to pivot their careers. We also focused on how cannabis use- both medical and adult use- is affecting or will affect employees and employers alike.

For those of you who missed the event, I have asked each panelist to provide a summary of their remarks. Here are their words:

Jennifer Maden, Rowan University

To community members seeking to enter the cannabis industry, cross-over talent is in demand. Your expertise in marketing, accounting, sustainability, finance, analytics, operations, human resources, and more are all needed. Key qualities and knowledge desired from industry for cross-over talent include: adaptability and innovative mindsets, awareness of emerging standards and regulations, valuing diversity and inclusivity, familiarity with the plant, and history of the industry (legal and legacy). Doing online research, attending industry events for learning and networking, and tailoring your resume to showcase your transferable skills will help you enter the cannabis industry. For those interested in formal education, Rowan University offers courses in cannabis commercialization, cannabinoid chemistry, and in topics related to socio-behavioral, law enforcement, and policies for cannabis.

To the cannabis industry, please seek out those of us in higher education that are eager to work together to shape, nurture, and strengthen the current and future workforce. Opportunities for collaboration include serving as guest speakers in workshops or courses, recruiting students and alumni for jobs, helping to design and teach cannabis-related courses, participating in recruitment fairs, and research initiatives so that we can all expand our evidence-based knowledge.

Cannabis industry experts and those interested in taking courses can find details on our web pages for the Rowan University Institute for Cannabis Research, Policy, & Workforce Development.

Aubrey Flanagan, Raritan Valley Community College

“There were so many important topics discussed that emphasizing one among the rest is difficult. However, the resounding theme of our “Preparing the Future Workforce” panel is best represented by urging employers and industry associations to engage in strategic partnerships with local institutions to build strong community relationships and consequent talent pipelines for a flexible and responsive workforce development and delivery system. Ensuring New Jersey is equipped with a skilled and qualified workforce to usher in this new era begins with accessible, relevant, and in-demand education and training developed in partnership with industry. Successful workforce development strategies require all hands on deck!”

Marissa Mastrioanni, Cole Schotz

“It is imperative for employers and employees alike to understand the anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation employment protections passed for medical and recreational cannabis users, as well as workplace drug testing regulations. To adapt to the reality that employees are engaging in legal off-duty cannabis use, employers must craft substance-free workplace policies and drug testing programs that are not only legally compliant but foster positive company culture that is inclusive for cannabis users. There are effective alternatives to hard-nosed anti-cannabis policies that promote workplace safety and also remove the fear that many cannabis users have of losing their jobs due to off-duty cannabis use, which will strengthen the cannabis industry as a whole.”

Rob Mejia, Stockton University

“I am fortunate to be teaching at Stockton University because we offer cannabis education in many forms. First, enrolled students can earn a minor in Cannabis Studies. The minor also includes an internship which further readies the student for the cannabis job market and often results in a job offer. Second, we offer a Certificate in Cannabis Studies through our Continuing Studies Department. These courses are available to adults, are online, and self-paced. Courses include Introduction to Horticulture, Introduction to the Industry, Law and Cannabis, Social Justice and Cannabis and six more classes! Third, we offer free quarterly panels via zoom. We have discussed the New Jersey cannabis rules and regulations, hemp, hospitality and tourism, and focused on subjects like cannabis insurance. Finally, we have a fall and spring cannabis career fair where employers can find real talent. By offering diverse ways to learn we feel we are reaching the widest population possible.”

As you can tell from the various comments, all of us have positioned ourselves and the organizations that we serve as resources for the community. Whether we see you in person in class or via zoom or at our next event, we hope you’ll ask us the tough questions and will join us on our cannabis education journey.

On that note, please join us on the Stockton University Galloway campus on Tuesday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for our spring Cannabis Career Fair & Business Expo. Please contact Heather Long at HLong@njadvancemedia.com for sponsorship information or to attend, please register at: https://events.nj.com/careerfair

Prof. Mejia’s Weed Corner is a regular column for NJ Cannabis Insider, focusing on news, trends and innovation in the local cannabis market. Reach out to him at Robert.Mejia@stockton.edu

#NJCIBizAwards: One week to go to vote for your favorite companies

Public voting is underway for candidates in eight of the awards categories for the NJ Cannabis Insider 2022 Business Awards.

There have been nearly 3,000 votes submitted since Monday. Individuals can vote once a day in each category until March 31 at 11:59 p.m. Follow #NJCIBizAwards on LinkedIn.

After votes are tallied, three finalists in each category will be announced in NJ Cannabis Insider and NJ.com. The winners will be recognized during a June 9 gala, which will include a green carpet, entertainment and a rooftop afterparty at the Carteret Performing Arts Center.

Finalists and nominees will be able to memorialize their recognition in a glossy publication produced by NJ Cannabis Insider in coordination with NJ Advance Media.

Category descriptions:

Excellence in Cannabis Law — Law firms that provide legal and policy services to every area of the cannabis industry.Excellence in Commercial Building Operations — Consists of the activities necessary to plan, design and build buildings. This includes everything from securing property, general contracting, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and energy.Excellence in Consultancy and Professional Services — Professional services include: accounting, staffing, security, IT, recruitment, and management industries.Excellence in Innovation — Innovative programs, products, or servicesExcellence in Social Equity — Companies that support social and economic equality in the cannabis community through grants, education and business development programs.Minority Business of the Year — A minority business is identified as being at least 51% owned by people of color.Woman-owned Business of the Year — A woman-owned business is a business in which at least 51% is owned by a woman.Excellence in Healthcare and Life Sciences — Activities ranging from patient well-being, treatment, testing, manufacturing, and research and development.

To find out how to get involved with ads or sponsorships, contact Heather Long or Kristen Ligas.

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, was the longest serving Republican in the U.S. House. (AP File Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Conservative co-chair of Cannabis Caucus who helped make weed a bipartisan issue dies

Cannabis advocates this month lost one of the few Republican lawmakers leading the fight in Congress to end the federal ban on weed.

Rep. Don Young of Alaska, one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, died March 18 at age 88.

His home state legalized cannabis for recreational use in 2014 and Young was active in trying to pass federal legislation. He was one of only five Republicans to vote for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, which would end the federal cannabis ban, provide loans and banking services to legal businesses, expunge prior marijuana convictions, and tax weed to help those hardest hit by the war on drugs enter the marijuana industry.

“He was a fierce defender of personal liberty and showed Republicans that cannabis reform was a conservative issue, one that deserved to be fought for,” said Rep, David Joyce, R-Ohio, the other GOP cannabis caucus co-chair. “Don taught me how to lean into this issue and create a path where no one had tread before.

“I’ve never met a force like Don and I doubt I ever will again. The caucus will not be the same without him. His shoes are ones that cannot be filled and I will miss him dearly.”

What made Young such an important figure in the cannabis fight was that he was a conservative Republican and helped make the issue bipartisan.

“His leadership on this issue helped move the ball down the field and demonstrated to his conservative colleagues that marijuana law reform wasn’t an issue to be confined to the liberal side of Congress, but that it is a position firmly rooted in the stated principles of the GOP: personal freedom, limited government, and fiscal responsibility,” said Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“When our disastrous marijuana policies are finally relegated to the waste bin of history, he will have played a significant role in that societal transformation.”

And Steven Hawkins, chief executive of the U.S. Cannabis Council, said Young “played a pivotal role in changing the American conversation on cannabis.”

“His passion for cannabis reform combined with his Republican bona fides and record-setting tenure in Congress provided a unique opportunity to steer the nation away from failed prohibitionist policies.”

— Jonathan D. Salant | NJ.com

NJ Cannabis Insider file photo

Medical cannabis could be sold at independent pharmacies in N.J. if Murphy administration approves

There are 23 retail shops scattered across the state selling medicinal marijuana to a rapidly growing patient base of about 126,000 people, many of whom have complained about long drives to buy cannabis that helps relieve their pain, reduce their nausea and alleviate their anxiety.

Now independent pharmacies in New Jersey want a chance to serve those folks and have asked the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission for permission to join the program, NJ Advance Media has learned.

The Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act that Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2019 opened the door to pharmacies selling cannabis products for people registered with the state program. The Garden State Pharmacy Owners and the New Jersey Pharmacists Association met with the commission several months ago to make the pitch, said Laurie Clark, a lobbyist who represents both organizations.

If the commission said yes, sales would likely start as a trial or pilot program basis in a small number of locations, Clark said. The independent pharmacy would buy the smokable flower, lozenges, oils and other products from existing alternative treatment centers, better known as dispensaries, which would act as wholesalers, she said.

“We could help the medical program. We want to be there to fill that need,” Clark said.

The commission’s Executive Director Jeff Brown on Friday said the idea is under active consideration.

“The CRC has received feedback from patients that they would like to be able to purchase medicinal cannabis in more traditional healthcare settings, like pharmacies, instead of dispensaries. Additionally, we have met with stakeholders, including independent pharmacies, to discuss this option for future rule-making,” Brown said in a statement.

“Any policy regarding pharmacies dispensing medicinal cannabis would need to be developed in consultation with the Board of Pharmacy in the Division of Consumer Affairs. We will continue to work in cooperation with other regulatory bodies to ensure patients have access to medicinal cannabis,” Brown’s statement said.

Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Coryell said the office “would not comment on the deliberative process” of this decision, which is ultimately up to the commission.

The legal hurdles involved here are complex.

Marijuana remains an illegal schedule 1 substance under federal law, which means it is considered to have a high rate of abuse and no medical value. Efforts to change the federal law have failed repeatedly. Federal law enforcement officials have generally steered clear of investigating the medical marijuana programs that are now operational is 37 states and Washington D.C., barring any obvious evidence of diverting marijuana for illegal purposes.

Pharmacists get their authority to prescribe legal controlled dangerous substances, such as painkillers like opioids, from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the state in which they are licensed.

There are 834 independent drug stores in New Jersey, about one-third of the 2,200 pharmacies in New Jersey, Brian Oliveira said, executive director for Garden State Pharmacy Owners. He believes his members would not run into the same legal problems the large multi-state chain pharmacies might encounter in selling medicinal cannabis products.

Locally, there are be some governing bodies that would need to review the zoning ordinances before allowing a neighborhood drug store to include cannabis in its inventory, he said. As the state investigates the matter, his organization is working to gauge members’ interest.

“Pharmacists are very adept handling controlled dangerous substances. It’s nothing new,” Oliveira said.

“We are confident pharmacists could counsel patients starting tomorrow,” Oliveira said. “They are equipped at educating themselves.”

As states have entered the adult-use, recreational cannabis market like New Jersey is expected to do sometime in the near future, it’s important to shore up the number of locations willing to focus on patients’ needs, he added. He noted states like Oregon and Colorado, where the market is more interested in serving the greater number of people using it recreationally, he said.

When he was a pharmacist in Sussex County, Oliveira said he met numerous patients with cancer and other serious conditions who enjoyed “huge successes” regaining their appetite and helping them sleep. There are many other members who have seen positive results, as well, he said.

Other states involve pharmacists in their medical marijuana programs, but in different ways than New Jersey is contemplating.

A decade ago, Connecticut was the first state to require pharmacists to work in retail shops and dispense the cannabis, and Minnesota and Arkansas and Pennsylvania followed suit. So does New York, but recently its law was amended to allow pharmacists to work remotely. Dispensaries in Louisiana are actually licensed as pharmacies.

Patients have long complained New Jersey’s program suffered from stunted growth — a condition that has kept medical marijuana expensive and in short supply.

Ken Wolski, the co-founder of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana – New Jersey and a patient advocate, said he would welcome more places for people to buy their medicine, but wondered if the legal hurdles were too difficult to overcome.

“I am pessimistic that without a change in federal law the state of New Jersey can do that,” Wolski said. “But God bless them and more power to them if they can.”

This story first appeared on NJ.com for subscribers only.

— Susan K. Livio | NJ.com

NJ Cannabis Insider Career Fair in November 2021.

Career Fair & Business Expo April 5 at Stockton U.

To connect the industry with the future workforce, NJ Cannabis Insider, New Jersey CannaBusiness Association and Stockton University are hosting a full-day Cannabis Career Fair & Business Expo on April 5.

The event at Stockton University in Galloway will feature keynotes from business leaders, professionals in the space and a vendor floor for networking.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Student free; industry professionals pay $99.

NJ Cannabis Insider subscribers should use discount code SUB20 at checkout for $20 off.

To find out how to get involved with sponsorships, contact Heather Long or Kristen Ligas.

NYCI hosts half-day conference March 31

NY Cannabis Insider is hosting a virtual half-day conference on Thursday, March 31 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. We’re putting together some exciting programming and look forward to having you join us and hundreds of cannabis industry professionals from across New York State.

Panel discussions, include:

Banking Solutions for Cannabis BusinessHow to Source and Secure CapitalSo You Live in An Opt Out Community – What Are Your Options?Understanding the Native American Cannabis Experience

NJ Cannabis Insider subscribers receive a special 15% off promotion for this event using promo code 15NYCI22 at checkout.

CRC vice chair to speak at FDU on March 31

Diana McElroy, founder of Higher High, is hosting the NJ CannaPreneur Conference where the Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s vice chair Sam Delgado will be speaking alongside other power players at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck.

“I cannot begin to thank our sponsors enough, as they are making the CannaPreneur Conference possible,” said McElroy in a recent LinkedIn post. “They are not only supporting bringing valuable information and education to New Jersey but they are also supporting a female entrepreneur during Women’s History Month.”

The program runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion on FDU Florham Campus.

For more information, and to register for the event, go here.

Staffing solutions built just for you

At Cannabisinsiderjobs.com, our custom approach begins at the start of the candidate journey by driving awareness of the benefits of working for your company told through content that our team of writers can craft for you and through video. We can help you get that story out to active and passive candidates.

We employ advanced marketing techniques including behavioral and contextual targeting coupled with geofencing of competitive employers to bring you a pool of talent to consider for your openings. If you need creative services or video production, we can develop that messaging and creative in partnership with you.

Let us cut through the weedy requirements for promoting the industry digitally to put your opportunities and strengths as an employer in front of the most likely highly qualified candidates.

Our philosophy is a holistic approach beginning with employer branding, reaching passive job seekers and funneling that through active job seekers to ensure that you turn open positions into the right employees.

Contact Melissa Ambrose, NJ Advance Media’s candidate talent acquisition specialist: email MAmbrose@njadvancemedia.com or call direct at 732-491-9001. Ask about NJ Cannabis Insider subscriber discounts.

Publisher & editor : Enrique Lavin, elavin@njadvancemedia.com

Events manager : Kristen Ligas, kligas@njadvancemedia.com

Event sponsorship sales : Heather Long, hlong@njadvancemedia.com

Events coordinator : Niyala Shaw, nshaw@njadvancemedia.com

Technical support: support@njcannabisinsider.biz

Subscriptions: subscriptions@njcannabisinsider.biz

Jelani Gibson is the lead reporter for Cannabis Insider. He previously covered gun violence for the Kansas City Star.

Suzette Parmley is the cannabis reporter for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. She previously worked at the New Jersey Law Journal and The Philadelphia Inquirer covering law, business and politics.

Susan K. Livio is a Statehouse reporter for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com who covers health, social policy and politics

Jonathan D. Salant is Washington correspondent for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com.

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