Harmony Foundation Received Permit To Grow Medical Marijuana

Harmony Foundation Receives New Jersey Medical Marijuana Dispensary Permit

Harmony Foundation recently received permission from the State to grow medical marijuana, paving the way for it to begin operations at its Secaucus location in the next several months as the sixth licensed alternative treatment center (ATC) in New Jersey. The next step is for the dispensary’s crop to be laboratory tested. Once the State issues a permit to dispense, Harmony Foundation can begin serving medical marijuana patients.

“After two years of designing and constructing this state-of-the-art facility, we are excited to finally put it into action, and to serve New Jersey’s patients with the purest and most effective medical marijuana,” said Harmony Foundation president and CEO Shaya Brodchandel. “We have selected strains which we believe are well-suited for New Jersey medical patient’s conditions and to our unique growing system.”

Obtaining a Medical Marijuana Dispensary License in New Jersey

New Jersey’s first alternative treatment center (ATC) opened in 2012. The state’s 13,200 registered medical marijuana patients are currently served by five alternative treatment centers, which are located in Montclair, Woodbridge, Cranbury, Bellmawr, and Egg Harbor.

New Jersey’s medical marijuana statute, the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, mandates that at least two ATCs be licensed in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. Under the statute, the first two centers issued a permit in each region must be nonprofit entities, while centers subsequently issued permits may be nonprofit or for-profit entities.

New Jersey is currently not accepting applications to open additional ATCs. However, once Harmony Foundation is up and running, the state may consider expanding the number of alternative treatment centers in the state. According to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH):

Once the initial six are open, the state will evaluate the program and determine whether or not there is a need for expansion. If there is a determination to add ATCs, the Department will publicize the expansion and provide the criteria and process for application.

With Governor Christie leaving office at the end of the year, the licensing of additional ATCs is now a real possibility. Both gubernatorial candidates support medical marijuana, with Democratic Phil Murphy in favor of legalizing recreational use.

While this is good news for businesses looking to enter New Jersey’s cannabis industry, applicants for ATC licenses must still undergo a strict vetting process. Persons interested in the application process should contact a knowledgeable attorney to discuss this process in greater detail.

This article is a part of a series pertaining to cannabis legalization in New Jersey and the United States at large. Prior articles in this series are below:

• Gaming Industry Seeks Guidance on Handling Money from Cannabis Industry
• Will New Conditions Be Added to the New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program?
• Plaintiffs Challenging Constitutionality of the Controlled Substances Act In Federal Court

If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss the matter further, please contact me, Dan McKillop, at 201-806-3364.

Disclaimer: Possession, use, distribution, and/or sale of cannabis is a Federal crime and is subject to related Federal policy. Legal advice provided by Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC is designed to counsel clients regarding the validity, scope, meaning, and application of existing and/or proposed cannabis law. Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC will not provide assistance in circumventing Federal or state cannabis law or policy, and advice provided by our office should not be construed as such.