New Jersey Governor Visits Prolific Growhouse, Praises “Legacy-to-Legal” Cannabis Success Story
Published August 26, 2024
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visited Prolific Growhouse as part of a tour highlighting the state’s evolving legal cannabis industry and the impact of social equity licensing.
During the visit, the governor toured the cultivation facility alongside Prolific Growhouse founder David Nicolas, whose story reflects New Jersey’s broader “legacy-to-legal” cannabis movement.
From Prohibition to Licensed Operator
While walking through the facility, Nicolas showed Governor Murphy a cannabis strain with personal significance.
“During my time going through New Jersey’s prohibition, this is one of the strains I was actually arrested with,” Nicolas said. “This strain right here is called Kobe.”
Nicolas explained that his path into the cannabis industry began long before legalization.
“My journey in this industry didn’t start off as smooth as I wanted it to. I started off on the legacy side,” he said. “Our company’s mission is to push the initiative of legacy-to-legal.”
He described “legacy-to-legal” as creating opportunities for people previously criminalized under cannabis prohibition to participate openly in the now-legal industry.
“Legacy-to-legal means to not have to hide what we once were doing a few years ago that is now legal in New Jersey, taking all those risks off of our backs.”
A Cannabis Strain Named After the Governor
During the tour, Governor Murphy was also shown a Prolific Growhouse strain named Murphy’s Sourz, created as a nod to the governor who signed cannabis legalization into law in New Jersey.
Murphy said he was “honored” by the recognition and praised Nicolas as an example of what the legal cannabis industry should strive to become.
“A role model for exactly what we want this industry to look like—somebody who has been crushed, sadly, on the one hand by the war on drugs and has reemerged as a bright star.”
Earlier in 2024, Murphy publicly reflected on the tour, saying:
“Entrepreneurs like David Nicolas give me hope that we can build a strong and diverse industry that reverses some of the worst effects of the War on Drugs.”
New Jersey’s Expanding Cannabis Market
The visit came during a period of rapid growth for New Jersey’s legal cannabis market.
State regulators reported that New Jersey cannabis sales surpassed $201 million during the first quarter of 2024, with additional record-breaking sales over the 4/20 holiday weekend.
At the same time, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission has continued expanding the state’s cannabis framework through:
Approval of cannabis consumption lounge rules
Elimination of medical cannabis card fees
Social equity tax initiatives
Ongoing discussions around home cultivation legalization
Despite legalization, home cultivation remains illegal in New Jersey, and advocates continue pushing lawmakers to revisit the issue.
The Legacy-to-Legal Movement
Prolific Growhouse has become one of the most visible examples of New Jersey’s social equity cannabis movement — a shift focused on helping individuals and communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization transition into the legal marketplace.
The company’s story reflects a broader transformation happening across the state: former underground operators now building licensed businesses, creating jobs and shaping the future of New Jersey cannabis.