ROSELLE PARK - One of the state's oldest medical marijuana dispensaries that has long been growing and selling cannabis exclusively to medical marijuana patient is looking to dip its toes in the far more lucrative adult use legal weed market.
Breakwater Treatment and Wellness, based in Cranbury, is seeking approval to begin selling legal weed to adult use customers at their satellite dispensary in Roselle Park, according to an agenda posted by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
If approved by the commission, Breakwater would grow cannabis for adult use and manufacture it into products at its Cranbury facilities, but adult use sales are prohibited there by township ordinance.
Since opening in 2015, Breakwater has been a favorite for medical marijuana patients, with many driving across the state and past many other dispensary options to shop there. Until 2022, it was the only locally-owned dispensary in the state, with every other one owned by larger, out-of-state brands or corporate conglomerates.
"I just feel like it's the best New Jersey is offering right now," said Wednesday Mayer, a Clementon medical marijuana patient and board member of Sativa Cross, a nonprofit medical marijuana patient advocacy group. "I love their strains, I love the freshness — the packaging on the jar usually says it's just a few days old."
Mayer said some patients might notice a change in quality, but said that could be due to numerous factors, not just the company having to ramp up production in order to meet a greater demand. But she was hopeful that it meant Breakwater products would be available in more dispensaries statewide.
The number of adult use-specific dispensaries outweigh medical-only and hybrid dispensaries, which sell to both patients and recreational customers, by more than 2-to-1.
"There's only a few dispensaries that serve it up, and it's not always the best of their strains," Mayer said. "I love this because, at least, now I can acquire it more easily."
Breakwater Vice President James Froehlich did not immediately return requests for comment.
One of the original dispensaries
Breakwater is the last of the original five New Jersey medical marijuana dispensaries licensed by the Christie Administration to expand into recreational marijuana sales. But it's not for lack of trying.
The company has long been plagued by its location. Under state law, medical marijuana businesses must have permission of their local municipality before dipping their toes into the more lucrative adult use market.
From October 2023 to September 2024, there were about $93.3 million in medical marijuana sales across the state, compared to more than $882 million in adult use sales.
The municipal hurdle had long been insurmountable for Breakwater. While Cranbury officials approved the alternative treatment center — it's a vertically-integrated facility where cannabis is grown, manufactured and sold to patients — it expressly prohibited any adult use business until last year.
Breakwater didn't get municipal approval for adult use from the township until May 2024 and, even then, it's only to grow and manufacture adult use cannabis. Adult use sales in Cranbury remain prohibited.
Roselle Park opened up to adult use in 2022 but didn't approve Breakwater until September 2024.
The company has also spent four years trying to open a satellite dispensary in Asbury Park, publicly announcing its plans in January 2021 without actually conferring with city officials. The Asbury Park zoning board rejected Breakwater's plans in April 2023, which prompted the company to file a federal lawsuit.
A federal judge upheld the zoning board's rejection last year, but Breakwater filed an amended complaint shortly thereafter. City attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint in August, the last filing made in the case.
Mike Davis has spent the last decade covering New Jersey local news, marijuana legalization, transportation and a little bit of everything else. He's won a few awards, which make his parents very proud. Contact him at [email protected] or @byMikeDavis on Twitter.