Because interest in New Jersey’s medical marijuana program has dropped significantly, state regulators have cut the price to enroll in it by 80%. Registration costs are now $10 every two years, down from $50 for most patients.
“At the time the administration took over, there were only 17,000 patients enrolled in the program, and only five dispensaries,” Jeff Brown, executive director of the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission, said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News. “We grew those rolls over time by adding new conditions and expanding the marketplace to 130,000 patients. Since we’ve launched recreational sales, we’ve seen rolls decrease gradually over time.”
Brown said, “We hear from patients that the cost of medicinal marijuana is high. We are sympathetic about the price of medicine. As this market develops … and there is more competition, prices are going to drop.” Sales of recreational marijuana in New Jersey continue to grow by about 10% each quarter.
