Jersey City Cannabis Entrepreneur Blames City, State for Business Failure

Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez had a dream: a cannabis shop where people could legally buy and use products in a safe, welcoming space. She poured her savings into it. She got licensed. She opened her doors. But now, in a court filing, she says the city and state are largely to blame for the business’s collapse.

Brevard-Rodriguez, a Jersey City entrepreneur, filed the legal complaint earlier this month. In it, she argues that bureaucratic delays, confusing regulations, and a lack of clear communication from both the city and the state made it impossible for her business to survive. The filing paints a picture of a hopeful start that quickly turned into a nightmare of red tape.

Her story is not just one business owner’s grievance. It highlights the rocky rollout of New Jersey’s legal cannabis market, which promised equity and opportunity but has left many small operators struggling. For Hudson County, where several cannabis shops have opened—and some have closed—it raises questions about whether the system is actually working for the people it was supposed to help.

What happened to the business

Brevard-Rodriguez’s company, which she ran with a partner, secured one of the state’s early licenses for cannabis retail. But according to the filing, almost nothing went smoothly after that. She says the city dragged its feet on approving her location. Then, when she finally got the green light, state regulators changed the rules on what she could sell and when. Each change cost money she didn’t have.

“From day one, I believed that this business would only succeed if it were a place where patrons could legally purchase products and use them,” she wrote in the complaint. But by the time she opened, she says, the market was already saturated by larger players who had more capital and could absorb the delays.

How we got here

New Jersey voters legalized cannabis for adult use in 2020. The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) then designed a system meant to give priority to people from communities hit hardest by the drug war. That included Brevard-Rodriguez, a Black woman who had worked in activism and social justice.

But the system has been slow. Many social equity applicants — people who qualify because of past arrests or residence in high-enforcement areas — faced long waits for their licenses. Once they got them, they often couldn’t find affordable real estate or bank financing. Bigger companies with deep pockets moved faster.

In Jersey City, the city council passed local ordinances to regulate cannabis businesses, including zoning rules that limited where shops could go. Brevard-Rodriguez’s filing says the city’s planning department gave her conflicting information about her site, costing her months of time and thousands in legal fees.

What it means for Hudson County

If you live in Hudson County, you’ve seen the cannabis shops popping up — some in shiny new storefronts, others in tucked-away strip malls. But behind these doors are real people who took enormous financial risks. Many are neighbors, not corporations.

The failure of a small business like Brevard-Rodriguez’s is a loss for the community. It means fewer jobs, less tax revenue, and less local ownership. It also means that the promise of social equity — that people from the neighborhoods most affected by prohibition would get a piece of the legal market — feels hollow.

For residents who support legalization, this case is a reminder that the work isn’t done. For those who opposed it, it might reinforce distrust. Either way, it’s a real-world test of whether New Jersey’s cannabis laws are fair and functional.

What people are saying

In the court filing, Brevard-Rodriguez’s attorneys argue that the city and state “failed to provide the clear and consistent regulatory framework required by law.” They say her business was set up to fail by the very agencies that were supposed to help it succeed.

The Jersey City Law Department did not return a call for comment by press time. The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission declined to comment on pending litigation. But supporters of Brevard-Rodriguez say she’s standing up for all the small operators who have been squeezed out.

“This is not just one person’s story,” said a community advocate who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s about a system that talks a big game about equity, then makes it nearly impossible for anyone without millions to survive.”

What comes next

The case is in its early stages. A judge will likely set a timeline for hearings in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Jersey City is still accepting applications for new cannabis retailers, and the state continues to issue licenses. For anyone thinking of opening a cannabis business, this case is a warning: the road is long, the rules are messy, and the money can disappear fast.

But Brevard-Rodriguez isn’t giving up quietly. She’s asking the court to hold the city and state accountable. And for residents watching from the sidelines, her fight is a reminder that small businesses — and the people who run them — are the ones who make a community real.