New Jersey’s third medical marijuana dispensary is about to open.
Garden State Dispensary, formerly known as the Compassionate Care Center of America, is now accepting registrations for future patients and plans to officially open by the end of the year, according to the state’s health department. The dispensary is located in the township of Woodbridge, a suburb of Newark located just west of Staten Island, New York.
The move underscores the progress of New Jersey’s embattled medical marijuana program. The state legalized medical marijuana more than three years ago, but dispensaries have been slow to open due to issues with applying for and receiving a licenses, finding a suitable location and receiving the final go-ahead from state and local officials.
The first dispensary opened earlier this year but had to shut down for much of the summer to rebuild its inventory, which was depleted because of crushing demand.
The second dispensary opened last month in the town of Egg Harbor, just west of Atlantic City.
New Jersey allows up to six licenses for medical dispensaries, distributed throughout the state by geographic region. Currently, 1,500 patients have registered for the state’s program – up from 1,200 in early August.
