With all council members in the chamber for the first time in more than a year, Sparta Township Council took their first step, for the third time, to ban marijuana businesses within the town. In a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Dan Chiariello the lone dissenter, Sparta approved the introduction of ordinance 21-10. No one chose to comment before the vote.
This move, should it pass on the second reading, would opt Sparta out of all licensing tiers available through the new cannabis legislation signed by Governor Murphy in February. Under the new legislation municipalities must vote to opt-out of allowing businesses to operate under five of the six available licenses by August 21, 2021, six months after the initial legislation was signed.
After August 21, 2021 the municipalities will be locked into any decision made whether allow any or all of the licenses for five years. Municipalities can decide to opt-in at any time, then will be held to the five-year rule, under current legislation.
The law establishes cannabis as the name for substance produced and consumed legally and marijuana as the illegally produced, sold or consumed substance. They are essentially derived from the same plant.