EDITOR’S NOTE: NJ Cannabis Insider is hosting a day-long conference and networking event Sept. 15 at the Crowne Plaza Princeton, featuring many of the state’s leading power players. Tickets are limited.
A steady stream of customers entered the Ascend Montclair dispensary on Saturday during its inaugural weekend offering adult recreational weed.
Among those who came to check things out was Michele DeZao, 60, of Rockaway, who was on her second visit to the dispensary since getting her medical marijuana card two months ago.
The recovering cancer patient on disability immediately noticed the bigger crowds on Saturday but appreciated how she was still treated as a priority with the medical patients-only check out line.
The hours of 8 a.m to 10 a.m. are reserved for medical patients only, with adult weed starting at 10 a.m., seven days a week at Ascend Montclair.
“I don’t have a problem with it,” said DeZao as she paid for vapes and edibles, which she said helps alleviate her stomach pains. “People are buying it (adult recreational weed) anyway so why not make it legal?”
Michele DeZao picks up her medical marijuana at the Ascend Montclair dispensary on Aug. 20, 2022.Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
The dispensary at 395 Bloomfield Avenue officially opened for adult weed sales at 10 a.m. Friday to become the 19th location in New Jersey to offer it after weeks of negotiations with the township.
“We are grateful for the support of the Montclair community and cannot wait to share the Ascend experience with the people of Montclair and the surrounding towns,” said Caitlin Fleishman, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Ascend Wellness, the multi-state operator owner of the dispensary.
The Montclair Township Governing Body voted 5-1 last Tuesday to accept a pre-negotiated settlement agreement with Ascend to begin adult weed sales.
Township Counselor-At-Large Peter Yacobellis said part of the settlement agreement included a “voluntary contribution” to various organizations by Ascend Montclair, using adult weed revenue.
“I want to laud Ascend for their incredible generosity to the citizens of Montclair and in particular for their contributions to the Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation and Montclair Community Pre-K (program),” Yacobellis said in an email. “When I think about the harm that legacy marijuana laws have caused to low income communities and in particular, communities of color, I want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure those communities are the ones benefiting from revenues generated by this new marketplace.”
The company’s other New Jersey store in Rochelle Park debuted adult recreational weed sales on April 21 with the statewide launch, and has quickly emerged as one of its top performing stores for adult weed in the U.S., according to Ascend’s owner and co-founder.
Ascend Fort Lee began selling medical marijuana on Aug. 12 and plans to expand to adult weed in the fall.
At Ascend Montclair, “it was a lot of organic traffic flow and a big outpouring of support,” Fleishman said late Saturday.
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Suzette Parmley may be reached at sparmley@njadvancemedia.com or follow her on Twitter: @SuzParmley
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