Cannabis Dispensary Owned by Disabled Navy Veteran Receives Unanimous Approval From Jersey City Planning Board

“The Other Side Dispensary” received its second unanimous approval from a governing board in the Jersey City cannabis licensing process. The Jersey City Planning Board gave the green light to the proposed project located at 36 Congress St. in the Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, owned by local business owner and disabled veteran Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez. 

After providing her testimony as the applicant, Brevard-Rodriguez represented herself as a security expert, citing an extensive resume in the security field. Business partner and cannabis industry veteran, Corey Jackson, provided the board with an overview of the daily operations. Chairman Christopher Langston praised Brevard-Rodriguez for the team’s robust security plan. 

Brevard-Rodriguez said, “I can’t lie, this process has been exhausting. This was our fifth time coming to the board because we kept getting carried due to a lengthy planning agenda. It felt like we were bleeding money. I almost threw in the towel, I really did.” 

This comes during a time when the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ CRC) and New York Office of Cannabis Management (NY OCM) are being regarded as potential models for the establishment of equitable cannabis industries; however, in places like New Jersey, they are highly reliant on their municipal partners to establish reasonable licensing processes with limited barriers to entry. 

“I worked in government, so honestly, I get it. That’s actually what probably makes it worse for me because who can I be mad at? I already know government has antiquated systems and processes. It’s not even like I can be mad at the board members; I mean to my understanding they are volunteers anyways so it’s sort of like a thankless job. I’ve been there, I’ve been in a role where I wanted to effect change, but I couldn’t because of red tape. So I didn’t really have a mad perspective, I just had more of a frustrated and appalled perspective, like this is crazy, it’s costing so much,” continued Brevard-Rodriguez. “I felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and as a service member, I hate feeling trapped. I wanted to find a solution because to me, sitting, waiting and bleeding money is not a rational solution.”  

“Listen, I’m just ready to go. I left the military; it’ll be eight months next week. I’m all in. This approval means the bleed stops, but now the real work begins. Building out this project is my main priority because the neighborhood is ready for us,” said Brevard-Rodriguez.

The Other Side Dispensary, also known as TOSD, is a dispensary and hopeful consumption lounge located in Jersey City, NJ. With core values based in inclusivity, wellness, and social justice, the dispensary’s founders are disrupters in the industry. For more information, please visit @TOSD_Lounge on Instagram or contact their management at 347-664-8616 or via email at Candice@TOSDispensary.com

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