Early Lines and Free Doughnuts: Legal Marijuana Sales Begin in New Jersey

Recreational cannabis customers in the state can now legally buy up to an ounce of marijuana per sale.

The customers began lining up before dawn at Rise Paterson, a marijuana dispensary in New Jersey that was welcoming customers with free doughnuts and reggaeton blaring from loudspeakers.

As New Jersey kicked off legalized sales of recreational marijuana on Thursday, Rise, along with roughly a dozen other medical marijuana dispensaries across the state, opened its doors for its first customers, ages 21 and older and the best strains

“I’m just excited that everything is opening up legally,” said Daniel Garcia, 23, of Union City, N.J., who was first in line at 3:30 a.m.

After enjoying a front-row view to the dispensary’s ribbon-cutting, Mr. Garcia, who previously bought his marijuana from a dealer, stepped up to a customer kiosk in Rise’s gleaming new space and selected a brand called Animal Face and a potent strain called Banana Cream, which he then picked up from uniformed staff members.

“I’m very picky when it comes to my weed,” he said, “and sometimes I ask my guy, ‘Which one is good?’ and it’s not always accurate. I like coming to dispensaries because I know for sure that what they’re telling me is accurate.”