New Jersey Will Relax Medical Marijuana Rules as Hopes for Legal Cannabis Fade

Beginning next week, the state Health Department will have new legal authority to expand the supply and demand for medical cannabis in New Jersey—a major priority for Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration as the effort to legalize recreational marijuana is looking unlikely this year.

For the first time, the department will be able to create a permit-granting system that divides up the industry between cultivators, manufacturers and retailers. The six operating nonprofits which serve the 46,300 registered patients control all aspects of the process, as will the next six which were awarded contracts in December.

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