Girl Scouts troop draws buzz after runaway cookie sales outside cannabis shop
A brief history of the Girl Scouts and its founder Juliette Gordon Low
Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts, which went on to become one of the largest and most successful organizations for girls worldwide.
A New Jersey Girl Scouts troop found cookie sales in high demand outside a cannabis dispensary, but the move may have landed the group in hot water with the organization's leaders.
The troop, which has not been publicly identified, first sold cookies in February outside Daylite Cannabis in Mount Laurel in the Garden State.
Despite the success of the initial sale, the group no longer plans to return to the shop, the owner told Fox News Digital Friday.
The partnership capitalized on marijuana-induced cravings. It quickly drew attention online and in local media, and the licensed dispensary's owner called it a success that boosted traffic to both the cookie booth and the shop.
"You use cannabis, you get the munchies," Daylite Cannabis owner Steve Cassidy previously told NJ.com.
"There's a connection between snacks and cannabis, and the fact that we don't have to pretend that doesn't exist anymore is really awesome.'
Recreational cannabis became legal in New Jersey in 2022. The state now has more than 200 recreational dispensaries in addition to medical and hybrid locations, according to the New Jersey State Information System, as reported by NJ.com.
"I don't think five years ago we would've seen anything like this," Cassidy said.
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The idea was rejected in 2024 by Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey, the regional council overseeing local troops, Cassidy said.
This year, however, one troop was reportedly allowed to sell outside the dispensary on a trial basis.
"The Girl Scouts pop up in grocery stores and other large public places," Cassidy noted. "They're selling to the community and to our neighbors, and that's exactly who our shop serves, too."
The partnership in a town in New Jersey drew national attention and sparked debate within the Girl Scouts. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
He said cookie sales were so strong last month some customers even visited the Girl Scouts booth before entering the marijuana shop.
But after the story gained national attention, Cassidy suggested the arrangement may have caused friction within the organization.
"It was about community," Cassidy told The Independent. "If that means the local Girl Scout troop got in trouble, that is absolutely not what we wanted."
Social media users were divided over the news, though many were supportive of the troop.
The dispensary owner said cookie sales were strong, with some customers stopping at the Girl Scout booth before even entering the shop. (John Moore/Getty Images)
On Facebook, one woman praised the move as a "brilliant marketing strategy."
"They should get their entrepreneur badge," another said on X.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Girl Scouts of the USA and Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey for comment.
A Facebook post on the dispensary's account Friday said, "We were happy to host a local troop outside Daylite recently. Supporting our community — especially young entrepreneurs — is something we care deeply about as a locally and family-owned business."
The Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey rejected a similar proposal in 2024 before allowing this year's trial sale, according to the dispensary owner in the Garden State. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"At this point, the troop is not scheduled to return to the shop," Cassidy told Fox News Digital.
"We would certainly welcome them back, and I'm sure our customers would love that too."
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Cassidy said the dispensary has long partnered with local groups and will continue to do so.
A similar controversy unfolded in 2018 when a San Diego Girl Scout was investigated after being photographed selling cookies outside a marijuana dispensary, according to The Associated Press.
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At the time, local council officials said selling in a commercial area was not permitted and reviewed whether any rules had been violated, noting that consequences are handled on a case-by-case basis.