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which ultimately led to the initial closing.

TOSD entered New Jersey’ s adult-use cannabis market in early 2022 in response to the state’ s call for veteran-led and disadvantaged operators, according to the company. The dispensary received early state and local approvals, including unanimous support from the Jersey City Cannabis Control Board( CCB).

But what followed was a multiyear pattern of delays and reversals at the municipal level:

• Repeated planning board postponements, including an expensive and ultimately unnecessary approval process that cost tens of thousands of dollars, a process later removed for future applicants.

• Bifurcation of retail and consumption lounge applications, forcing early applicants to wait years for rules that did not yet exist.

• Corrupt stop-work orders and inspections that halted construction for months.

• A non-functional Cannabis Control Board, leaving applications unreviewed and endorsements unprocessed.

• Unrestricted license issuance, resulting in nearly 60 dispensaries in a city of 300,000— one of the most saturated cannabis markets in the nation.

Nearly 30 months after incorporation, TOSD was finally allowed to open in October 2024, though it was already struggling due to the months of holding costs. The dispensary barely survived a year before having to close its doors to the public.

Now that TOSD is up and running once again, the company stated in the Facebook post that it will continue pushing for the policy reform and business conditions its local operators need to survive and grow.

by KRYSTINA SKIBO

In early February, Virginia lawmakers passed three bills that will have a monumental impact on the cannabis industry within the state: SB 542, HB 642 and HB 75. These bills aim to advance proposals to legalize cannabis sales, provide a pathway to resentencing for prior marijuana convictions and allow medical cannabis access in hospitals for seriously ill patients.

Virginia’ s House of Delegates and Senate passed differing versions of cannabis sales legislation, according to Marijuana Moment, and both will now be sent to the other body for consideration. The House approved its measure from Del. Paul Krizek( D) in a 65−32 vote, and the Senate moved its proposal from Sen. Lashrecse Aird( D) in a vote of 21−19. The key details of the Virginia cannabis sales legalization legislation, SB 542 and HB 642:

• Adults would be able to purchase up to 2.5 oz. of cannabis in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products as determined by regulators.

• The House bill sets the state date for legal sales as Nov. 1, 2026, while the Senate measure would allow them to begin on Jan. 1, 2027.

• The Senate bill would set an excise tax on cannabis products of 12.875 %, in addition to a 1.125 % state sales tax and a mandatory 3 % local tax. The House measure would apply an excise tax of 6 % as well as a 5.3 % retail sales and use tax, while allowing municipalities to set a local tax of up to 3.5 %.

• Under the House bill, the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry, while the Senate legislation tasks that to a new combined Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control Authority.

• The House bill calls for revenue to be distributed to a new Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund( 60 %), early childhood education( 10 %), the Department of Behavioral & Developmental Health Services( 25 %) and public health initiatives( 5 %). The Senate proposal, meanwhile, would put 30 % toward the equity reinvestment fund, 40 % for early childhood education, 25 % to the

22 Beverage Wholesaler • Summer 2026 www. beveragewholesaler. com