Town Council Opposed a Cannabis Lounge until DRUID Came Along

Gynsyng Gets Approval by Checking Patrons Before Leaving

When Jana and Tom Murzenski opened their cannabis dispensary, Gynsyng, in Merchantville, New Jersey, in February 2024, they envisioned an adjacent cannabis lounge where customers could enjoy their purchases safely and socially. They had the perfect space for it—but there was one problem. The town council was concerned that patrons might become intoxicated and put themselves or others in danger when driving home. As a condition for approval, they required a test for cannabis impairment.

“I found it ironic that we needed to test customers before they left, while the bars in the area had no such requirement,” said Tom Murzenski. “Luckily, I had heard about DRUID.” Murzenski’s subsequent presentation about DRUID, a one-minute app that objectively assesses an individual’s cognitive status, to the six-member town council—backed by science and data—won them over. Still, it took many months to secure municipal approval, but on July 23, 2025, the doors of the first cannabis consumption lounge in New Jersey finally opened.

Gynsyng’s cannabis lounge has helped attract new visitors to its cannabis dispensary, leading to increased sales and stronger brand loyalty. The lounge also promotes responsible consumption, fosters community, and sets Gynsyng apart from competitors by turning it into a destination rather than just a point of sale.

“We’ve been using DRUID every day since the lounge opened,” said Murzenski. “When somebody comes in, we ask how they’re getting home. If they’re doing a rideshare, that’s fine—they’re pretty much unrestricted at that point. But if they’re driving, we test them initially to get a DRUID baseline score. After that, they can go ahead and consume in the lounge, and when they’re ready to leave, we test them again and compare the result against their baseline. If the score is no more than five points above baseline, we say they’re good to go. If it’s above five points, we ask them to relax a little longer, then come back to test again.”

Since Gynsyng’s opening, four additional lounges have been approved in New Jersey, mostly operating in Atlantic City. Currently, twelve states and Washington, D.C., allow some form of on-site cannabis consumption. In many of those states, only a few lounges are fully operational, as the others seek licensing, zoning, and local approvals. Even so, the trend toward lounges is upward, with industry analysts expecting a two-to fivefold increase in their number by 2027.

“The lounge is definitely drawing people,” added Murzenski. “Since we’ve been open, we’re seeing a lot of new customers. But we also have regulars, like the father and son who spend hours playing Pokémon.” Customers haven’t objected to taking the DRUID test. “It’s been easily accepted—and most of them actually

kind of like it.”