Woodbridge Medical Marijuana Shop Can Now Sell Recreational Weed, Too

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — You will soon be able to start purchasing recreational marijuana from the existing medical pot shop in Woodbridge.

Garden State Dispensary, located at 950 Rt. 1 north in Woodbridge, applied for a license from the state to expand into recreational marijuana sales.

Their application was approved Tuesday by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission at their May 24 meeting.

Garden State Dispensary LLC is owned by AYR Wellness, Inc.

Last June, the Woodbridge Council passed this town ordinance that allowed Garden State Dispensary to expand into recreational sales, but said they would be the only store in town allowed to sell recreational pot. No other retail pot shop is allowed to open in Woodbridge Township.

"We're a big town; I think it's appropriate we have one (marijuana business)," Mayor John McCormac told Patch at the time. "But we don't want any more."

However, the ordinance does allow anyone to apply to open a weed grow/cultivation business anywhere in Woodbridge that is zoned for manufacturing or industrial. There are many industrial zones in Woodbridge Twp.

"There are lots of spaces in town it can be grown or cultivated; it can be grown in a warehouse," said McCormac last June. "We just don't want it being grown next to houses, a school, a playground, things like that."

"With Amazon scooping up everything in sight, the warehouse space is so valuable right now I don't see it happening," he added, of the likelihood of a marijuana cultivation business opening up.

Back when marijuana was only approved for medical use in New Jersey, the state chose Woodbridge as one of six spots for a medical marijuana shop. Woodbridge had no say in the matter.

Garden State Dispensary opened on Rt. 1 in 2013. In 2019, Garden State Dispensary opened this second location in Eatontown.

McCormac said there were some "hiccups" the first few weeks Garden State Dispensary opened: Neighboring Rt. 1 businesses complained to the town about a very strong marijuana smell coming from the store.

"Since then, it's been fine," said the mayor.

Previously: Woodbridge: Only Our Existing Medical Pot Shop Can Sell Marijuana (June 2021)