The legalization of recreational marijuana, however, hasn’t been the top issue of its kind in Brick. Instead, a proposal to build a medical marijuana dispensary and grow house in a residential zone has stirred up the most controversy. But the medical marijuana proposal could be the first of many to appear before the township’s zoning board should a recreational market be created in New Jersey.
As it currently stands, since cannabis is illegal for recreational purposes in New Jersey, dispensaries are not a permitted use in any of the township’s zones, including commercial or industrial zones. Under the primary legalization bill sponsored by state Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union), the use of marijuana would become legal statewide, but towns would be able to decide which zones dispensaries and grow houses could accommodate the open market – or sales could be banned entirely. Towns that ban sales would not be eligible to receive a portion of the revenue generated by taxes imposed on cannabis sales.
In Brick, Mayor John Ducey said he would favor letting the people decide whether the township should allow sales, should they be legalized.
“I would love a public referendum,” Ducey said. “That would be an awesome idea and we would be able to do that during the next election.”