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The recent state Department of Health announcement about expanding medical marijuana in New Jersey left some people underwhelmed, considering it seemed imminent until a couple months ago that weed would be legalized here.

Sure, the possibility of 108 new licenses represents huge growth in the medical market, one that has been strained by tens of thousands of new patients, but many people have long been hoping for full legalization, which now appears to be more than a year away.

This expansion, however, could very well form the foundation of a legal weed industry in the Garden State. The businesses who win a license will almost surely get the first crack at the adult-use market, should voters approve legalization on the ballot in November 2020 or if the state Legislature is able to do it before that.

“I think the biggest takeaway from a business perspective is the expansion here and coming,” said Lee Vartan, an attorney with Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi who advises clients in the marijuana industry. “Right now, and I’ve spoken to a number of people, I think the biggest takeaway is New Jersey’s market is expanding and it’s not going to be limited to the very biggest players.

“I think it makes for a more exciting and level new process."

The different versions of legalization we’ve seen have allowed medical marijuana businesses to start selling to the general population well before businesses licensed for adult-use would be able to get off the ground.

Comments from state leaders and a hint in a recent proposal by Gov. Phil Murphy give us reason to believe that would be the case going forward in New Jersey.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, has referred to medical expansion as a backdoor to legalization on numerous occasions. While he’s also talking about lowering the bar for the medical program to add as many patients as possible, he also recognizes that expanding medical lays a broad foundation for a legal market.

While the Health Department’s RFA earlier this month would greatly expand the medical marijuana program, the governor and legislative leaders have recently started negotiating on a bill that would codify the expansion, while creating more regulatory framework.

In a memo Murphy, a Democrat, sent to the Democratic-controlled Legislature last week about changes he’d like to see in the medical expansion plan, one of those changes was that the Health Department would continue overseeing the program until Jan. 1, 2021. Then a newly created Cannabis Regulatory Commission would assume oversight.

Why does that matter?

If New Jersey voters approved adult-use cannabis in November 2020, legalization would likely take effect on Jan. 1, 2021. So the Cannabis Regulatory Commission would take control of the 120 existing medical marijuana businesses — the 12 that have already been approved and the 108 called for in the RFA.

As long as those 120 businesses are able to meet patient demand, they’d almost surely be able to start selling to the public as well sometime in early 2021.

Of course, ensuring patients in the program get the medicine they need is paramount, but this medical expansion also presents the possibility that recreational weed sales could start soon after voters approve legalization.

And that means opportunity for more than just weed businesses.

Grant Whitus, chief operating officer for Helix Security, AKA Helix TCS, Inc., said the publicly-traded company is one of the largest suppliers of security guards, surveillance equipment and digital monitoring for the cannabis industry in the country.

They are spreading throughout the North American market. Whitus says Helix is based in Colorado and holds contracts in every state including New Jersey.

"The more you guys grow, the more business we are doing,” Whitus said.

An earlier version of this piece first appeared in NJ Cannabis Insider.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.

Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion.

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