Toms River Residents Urge Council To Reconsider Weed Biz Ban

Toms River NJ

28 April, 2021

3:08 PM

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TOMS RIVER, NJ — Six months after 64 percent of Toms River voters approved a measure to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey, many are wondering why the Township Council is considering a measure that would ban businesses in dealing with cannabis. Residents on Tuesday night expressed their displeasure of such a ban, saying that doing so would mean the township will lose out on tax money that would come from businesses that would provide weed to those who want it and that could benefit local schools and other need improvement. The council heard a first reading of an ordinance Tuesday night that would ban the businesses who manufacture, sell and distribute marijuana. The township considered a similar ordinance in 2018 to ban retail marijuana sales but tables the proposal after residents urged the council to hold off. Nearly 64 percent of local voters voted to approve the use of recreational marijuana in November as 31,255 residents voted in favor of the measure. The township has until August to enact a ban after the voters across New Jersey voted to approve to legalize recreational marijuana by adults. Residents told council members that they did not want Trenton dictating how life is lived in Toms River when it comes to businesses having the ability to sell marijuana. If the township fails to act within the state-imposed 180-day timeframe, the state will enact its own ordinance and the township could not change it for five years. Based on what that could cost the township, residents said enacting a ban on marijuana businesses would be a mistake. "You're talking about millions and millions of dollars," Bayville resident Daniel Kessel told council members. "… These stores work. It's not the end of the world (to allow the businesses)." He added: "What are we doing here? The fact our residents said yes to (legalizing marijuana), this shouldn't even up for debate. …do what your residents want." Other residents told the council that tax money generated from the sale of marijuana within Toms River would help to provide funding for local schools, road and street improvements and other aspects of the community that have been impacted by budget constraints. Residents also said that others heading to dispensaries outside of Toms River must pass through the township to get places like Seaside Park. Rather than losing out on the financial benefits that other towns are seeing because they allow the businesses, money could be pumped into the local economy, residents said during the public comment portion of Tuesday's meeting. Most of the comments were met applause from fellow residents in attendance at Tuesday's meeting. Brick resident Sam Foster told the council that he voted against the legalization of the use of recreational use of marijuana. But he said that after its use became legal in New Jersey earlier this year, local municipalities might as well take advantage. On Tuesday night, the Brick Township Council voted to ban businesses who deal in cannabis from setting up shop in the township for the next five years. "If it's legal, we might as well make some money of it to alleviate the problems we all have," Foster said, comparing the legalized form of marijuana to alcohol, which he said can be deadly. "That's just my opinion." Toms River resident Bryce Morgan said that local residents – not state officials – should dictate how marijuana sales are regulated in the township. Like others, he pointed to the percentage of residents that voted to legalize the use of recreational weed and said that if the council voted to ban businesses, it could be a lengthy amount of time before that decision could be reversed. Township attorney Anthony Merlino said that if a ban was enacted, the council could pull back on restrictions when they wished. But if the council didn't act, it couldn't act for a five-year period. Morgan said that the proposed ordinance said that 51 percent of employees of marijuana businesses had to live in the township or the next town over. He said that if local municipalities continue to ban establishments from operating in their community, it will force those who would want to work at such a business to move. After statewide voters approved legalized recreational use, what happens with marijuana should be up to them – not politicians, residents said. "We decided (on approving recreational use), we the people decided," Morgan told council members. "This shouldn't even be up for discussion. It really shouldn't."