New Jersey’s largest dispensary just opened. Or rather, just re-opened. Three years ago, the Curaleaf medical cannabis dispensary opened inside a former T-shirt factory in Bellmawr. After outgrowing the space, however, the dispensary has moved into a new, updated facility across the street. With more room to stretch out, Curaleaf is now the largest cannabis dispensary in the state.
New Jersey Has The Largest Medical Cannabis Dispensary On The East Coast
The Curaleaf dispensary isn’t just the largest medical cannabis retailer in New Jersey. It’s now the largest on the entire East Coast of the United States.
The 6,150 sq. ft. facility is located just 10 miles south of Philadelphia. At maximum capacity, the Curaleaf dispensary can serve 1,000 patients each day, according to spokesperson Jordan Isenstadt.
To date, the state has registered some 21,000 patients in its medical cannabis program. 5,000 of those patients enrolled in the previous year alone.
According to New Jersey Health Department records, Curaleaf served 6,358 patients in 2017—more than double the number from the previous year. It’s also more than three times as many patients as Curaleaf’s nearest competitor, the Compassionate Care Foundation in Atlantic County, served in 2017.
In 2017, Curaleaf sold 2,300 pounds of cannabis over more than 76,000 transactions, earning it a reputation as the busiest dispensary in the state. The state’s other dispensaries all did less business than Curaleaf. The second most popular medical cannabis dispensary, Garden State in Woodbridge, served 2,000 fewer clients than Curaleaf.
Curaleaf’s Growth Is Just The Beginning of Medical Marijuana Expansion In New Jersey
New Jersey’s governor Phil Murphy took office on a cannabis-friendly platform that involved removing the overbearing restrictions on the state’s medical program put in place during the Chris Christie administration.
Gov. Murphy has already expanded access to the state’s medical cannabis program by adding chronic pain and anxiety to the list of qualifying conditions. The resulting boom in enrollees means an increase in demand. That’s why Gov. Murphy’s plan also involves increasing the number of medical dispensaries across New Jersey.
Curaleaf’s recent dispensary relocation and expansion is the first such move to come under the new rules. The New Jersey Health Department expects to approve several more dispensaries this year.
“Our expansion into a larger dispensary mirrors not only Curaleaf’s growth but also the progression of medical marijuana access within the state,” said Curaleaf New Jersey President George Schidlovsky.
New Jersey’s Largest Dispensary Just Opened
Curaleaf’s new, spacious and modern dispensary resides in a reconstructed factory that used to do precision metalwork. But the dispensary hasn’t just expanded its retail and consultation space. Curaleaf is also expanding its nearby cultivation space by 16,000 sq. ft. The grow facility includes a production area for manufacturing cannabis capsules, oils, and topicals.
“It looks like a dispensary in Colorado—big and clean,” remarked 62-year-old Keith Chase, a patient who dropped by the dispensary on the first day at its new location. But with demand increasing swiftly, product shortages are already becoming a concern. As are long lines and wait times. “They just need more product,” Chase added.
