Cannabis entrepreneur in New Jersey finally gets ok for pot store

NEW JERSEY (PIX11)-- Cannabis entrepreneurs in jersey city found out Wednesday night just how difficult it is to reach opening day. The city council vote narrowly confirmed Chelsea Duffy’s application for her planned dispensary.  The vote was 6 in favor, 1 against, with 2 abstentions.

“I’m thrilled, but I know we got this because we deserved it. We’re just waiting for the opportunity to start really getting to work,” Duffy said. “we’ve spent a lot of time and energy, and money in getting to this point.”

The confirmation vote comes after months of setbacks, including a rejection, last fall, from the city’s local cannabis control board. 

Duffy ultimately sued the city and won in order to get her retail dispensary application reinstated so it could then be considered by the council.

The timing was indeed critical, given the council’s plans to institute a moratorium on new cannabis business applications, effective next month.

“As a council, what we have to figure out how close these dispensaries can be to each other,” said Councilman James Solomon. 

He stated while there are now some two dozen cannabis-related businesses armed with local city approval none of them have opened up for business.