Weedman wrong about pot license; daughter gets state OK

Editor's note: A story published Thursday incorrectly reported the status of Ed Forchion’s application for a conditional license to legally sell marijuana. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission did not take action on the application by Forchion, known as the NJ Weedman.

The Weedman does not have state approval to legally sell pot.

Ed Forchion, a pot advocate, told the Burlington County Times on Thursday afternoon he’d been told the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission had approved him for a conditional license for retail sales.

Hours later, the state's CRC told the Burlington County Times that Forchion's statements were wrong. His application had neither been awarded nor denied that day, a commission representative said.

In fact, it was Forchion’s daughter, Chanel Forchion, who’d been awarded a conditional license to cultivate marijuana. A conditional license only permits the holder to seek municipal approval to open and operate a business.

Ed Forchion, long known as the NJ Weedman for his dogged advocacy for marijuana, has applied for a license to legally sell cannabis in New Jersey.

Forchion said he began receiving texts Thursday afternoon from contacts in the cannabis advocacy community telling him they had heard his name as the CRC announced new licensees.

The Burlington County Times had met with Forchion earlier in the day for interviews connected to a separate story. He texted the reporter later Thursday to say he'd been granted state approval and said his lawyer had confirmed the news.

He also took to social media to celebrate what he thought was a hard-fought victory.

Those congratulatory notes and Instagram posting were incorrect, however.

When contacted Thursday evening about the discrepancy, Forchion told the Burlington County Times, "Oops" and apologized.