Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Episode Summary: Join us as we navigate with NJ-CRC Director of Licensing Megan Tagliaferri the entire cannabis business licensing process and intricacies—from the application timeframe and review process to understanding the various application priorities to decoding the review for completeness.
Episode Notes: Licensing numbers discussed in this episode may have changed. To review the most up-to-date information, visit www.nj.gov/cannabis/resources/reports-stats-info.
Previous Blog Posts
New Jersey now has cannabis lounges
08/5/2025
New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act makes it clear where you shouldn’t light up and risk being a nuisance or health hazard for others. No smoking in indoor public spaces like restaurants, bars, or offices. No smoking in public parks, or on beaches. With all the spaces where you cannot smoke, cannabis users now have legal spaces to smoke cannabis socially outside their homes—cannabis consumption areas. Imagine meeting friends for happy hour, but at a dispensary’s cannabis lounge instead of your local bar, and without alcohol.
Local Control, Big Impact: Supporting Municipal Leaders in Cannabis Market Success
08/1/2025
Matthew Craig, director of government affairs at NJ-CRC, talks about his role in supporting municipal decision makers as they establish and facilitate safe and profitable local cannabis markets. He also explains the kind of control municipalities have over cannabis businesses in their towns and the benefits of municipalities opting in.
Compliance and Cannabis: Keeping New Jerseyans Safe
07/3/2025
Joe Sparano, a compliance officer at NJ-CRC, discusses how the agency ensures cannabis safety in New Jersey with a strong regulatory framework. He discusses how compliance covers cultivation to sales, including testing standards, packaging requirements, and youth deterrence.
