The borough has banned both recreational and medical marijuana businesses from operating in the borough, at least for now.
"This legislation is new," Mayor Victoria Kilpatrick said. "I ask that you give us time so that we can get this right, specifically for marijuana patients. We want to do right by all of our residents and we're working through this."
The City Council on Thursday joined the growing list of communities in New Jersey saying "no thanks" to legalized marijuana.
It's council voted 3-0 Thursday on two ordinances. One banned all cannabis businesses from setting up shop here, and the other made it illegal to use cannabis products in public.
When New Jersey legalized adult-use months ago, equity received widespread attention — and it is an issue in legalization efforts now pending in the Pennsylvania legislature.
In the context of marijuana legalization, equity encompasses many issues, such as seeking to remedy the societal damages from the War on Drugs, which incarcerated tens of thousands of non-white individuals and left many more with arrest records that hinder chances for economic, educational, and employment advancement.
New Jersey's attorney general announced Tuesday that the state's Division of Consumer Affairs has issued warning letters to four companies for allegedly trying to circumvent local marijuana laws by "gifting" "free" cannabis with orders of high-priced snacks.
While recreational cannabis use for adults 21 and older was approved by New Jersey voters in 2020, the state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission has been slow to establish firm vendors' rules and hand out licenses. In response, impatient would-be vendors are trying to find workarounds.
Municipal officials in Red Bank are preparing legislation that is expected to establish the guidelines under which marijuana businesses would be permitted to operate in the borough.
The topic of marijuana businesses operating in Red Bank was discussed during a Borough Council workshop meeting on June 9.
The town’s elected representatives indicated they are in favor of permitting marijuana businesses to operate in Red Bank with certain operational guidelines in place.
Phillipsburg is home to one of New Jersey’s 19 medical marijuana dispensaries that will likely be first to open their doors to adult users once recreational sales start.
But any notions of a cannabis retail oasis in Warren County, and on Pennsylvania’s border, took a hit this week.
Town council cast a 4-0 preliminary vote Tuesday night to opt out of permitting any recreational marijuana businesses. The Apothecarium dispensary that opened last November on South Main Street is grandfathered in and unaffected by the decision, according to the town attorney, Rich Wenner.
Gifting is lawful between adults 21 and older under New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis law, but a number of businesses are allegedly taking advantage of that policy by giving away “free” cannabis products to those who purchase other items like snacks and baked goods.
No retail marijuana businesses have been licensed since the state enacted recreational legalization earlier this year, which followed voter approval of a reform initiative during the November 2020 election. Licensing regulations still need to be developed before adult-use shops can open.
Council members Laurie Huryk and Daniel Rodrick will join local residents on a committee that will discuss whether marijuana businesses should be allowed in the township.
Members of the committee are expected to be appointed Tuesday. The council last week again tabled an ordinance that would bar companies that sell, manufacture or distribute weed from operating in town. The measure is expected to be discussed again — and possibly voted on — at the July 13 council meeting.
Gurbir Grewal sent letters of cease and desist to four Garden State-based vendors, telling them that they are being investigated for violating the Consumer Fraud Act.
The Town Council introduced two ordinances Monday which will allow for retail sale of cannabis products on Water and Mill streets and will ban consumption of cannabis on all town-owned property, including public parks.
The town already bans smoking of tobacco products at its facilities and in town-owned parks. The proposed ordinance changes, which go to a public hearing at the council's June 28 meeting, add cannabis and vaping to the list of smoking prohibitions.