JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The cannabis dispensary co-owned by rapper and actor Ice-T has closed its doors less than a year after its highly publicized debut, marking another short-lived venture in New Jersey’s challenging legal marijuana market.
The Medicine Woman, located on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City, opened with major fanfare during the 2025 Easter and 4/20 weekend. The event drew a large crowd, live music, and extensive media coverage celebrating Ice-T’s entry into the cannabis business.
Despite the initial buzz, the dispensary shut down quietly in early 2026. Industry observers cited high property costs, a competitive retail landscape, and customer dissatisfaction with product quality and pricing as factors that have strained many New Jersey dispensaries.
Ice-T was a partial owner of the Medicine Woman, which was launched alongside several partners, including a former Playboy Playmate, her husband, and California-based cannabis entrepreneurs. Their flagship store in Southern California remains open.
The Jersey City dispensary ran several promotions in its short tenure, including a fall collaboration with Dime Industries, a small multi-state vape brand. However, analysts said the store’s location on Tonnelle Avenue proved difficult for sustaining consistent foot traffic, with other dispensaries like Green Stop Wellness and Kush Klub already operating nearby.
The closure follows a similar fate for Hashstoria, a Newark dispensary backed by Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and media personality Charlamagne Tha God, which also shuttered within its first year.
Market experts say celebrity-backed dispensaries often face high overhead and investor expectations that differ from smaller, locally owned operations. “A big name doesn’t always mean big returns,” one industry source noted.
