About eight months ago, neighbors say they started smelling what they thought were skunks, but it turns out it was the growing operation. The land is zoned for agriculture use, and Verano was granted a license to operate in early 2020.
Some neighbors say they had no idea marijuana would take over the retail space previously run by Walmart, and want to know why a company considered to be one of the leading producers of medical marijuana in the country simply can't control the smell.
“I don't think the state of New Jersey is ready for any of this,” says Lyle Armstrong, of Readington Township. “Nobody is done their homework. Somebody approved this. They rushed it through, and there's guinea pigs out there. You can see, I'm the main guinea pig.”
Sixty-eight neighbors have signed a petition calling for the township to do something about the odors.