The Barnegat police chief first expressed his views on the new marijuana laws, including the most recent amendment that allows law enforcement authorities to notify parents when their underage children are using marijuana or alcohol — or found with either in their possession.
“If you are a New Jersey voter who voted or supports the new law, you voted to legalize cannabis for adults,” maintained Germain. “What the legislature did was pass a disaster of a law that essentially legalizes marijuana and alcohol for kids.”
The first public question on New Jersey’s ballot asks voters to decide whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana use and possession. Barnegat township officials have their own stance on the issue. Township Committee members passed a resolution this week in opposition to a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational cannabis use and sales.
Momentum toward legalization of marijuana continues to grow. That doesn’t mean local officials have to like it. In fact, many of them have taken action to ban the possession of pot, including in states where recreational use is becoming acceptable.
New Jersey lawmakers are widely expected to legalize pot this year. They have determined that the drug is relatively benign and undeserving of criminal penalties. The fact that legalized marijuana sales have helped boost tax revenues in other states doesn’t hurt.
Township officials are the latest in Ocean County to mount an attack against the legalization of recreational marijuana, defiantly opposing Gov. Phil Murphy's efforts to greenlight the pot industry in New Jersey
Barnegat Mayor Alfonso Cirulli is taking an anti-pot petition to churches and residents throughout the township to garner support. Last week, the Township Committee also passed a resolution opposing legalization of recreational use.
Submitted by njlegalizeme on Sun, 09/09/2018 - 21:29
Should marijuana be legalized in New Jersey, growers and sellers would not be able to do business in Barnegat Township. An ordinance adopted at the July 2 township committee meeting will forbid the “sale, manufacture and farming and marijuana paraphernalia” in the municipality.
Deputy Mayor Alfonso Cirulli acknowledged the ordinance could eventually be declared moot.
“Eventually, the state may not allow us to do this,” he said. “Whatever we do will be superseded by anything that the state does.”