Middle Township will propose a ban on public marijuana smoking and vaping at its April 5 Committee meeting. The measure would establish fines of up to $1,000 for violators.
Though New Jersey recently legalized marijuana use for adults over 21, municipalities retain the right to regulate smoking and vaping in public areas. Local governments also have the ability to restrict sales and cultivation of marijuana and related products, and limit the number of marijuana businesses within their boundaries.
By weighing the public smoking ban, Middle Township is “affirming the family-friendly atmosphere of public areas,” according to the ordinance.
The Township also cites health reasons, explaining that setting boundaries around marijuana use discourages “the inherently dangerous behavior of smoking marijuana around non-marijuana users.”