“I been smoking since 1960 and I’ve been waiting my whole life for today,” said 81-year-old Phil McDonald who was in the long line at ZenLeaf, a cannabis dispensary in Elizabeth. “After being busted a few times over the years, now I can do it legal,” he said. Sales at ZenLeaf moved slowly, as shoppers savored the selection.
The cash flowed — no credit cards for an industry selling products still considered contraband by the feds as New Jersey joins 17 other states and Washington, D.C. to have legalized recreational marijuana. The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission has authorized 13 dispensaries, with more to come.
Gov. Phil Murphy called the new cannabis industry an economic engine that could generate $2 billion in sales over the next four years.
