The Social Leaf Dispensary in South Toms River received approval at the March 3 meeting of the commission, officials with the business said.
In preparation, they have been renovating the former Cap'n Hippo's Bait and Tackle store on Route 166, and now they have scheduled a job fair for potential employees.
The job fair is from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at South Toms River Borough Hall, and they will be accepting applications and scheduling interviews.
Cannabis was a hot topic during Tuckerton’s Feb. 22 council meeting, with a seemingly equal amount of passion among residents both for and against having a dispensary placed in the borough.
Councilman Keith Vreeland spoke in regard to various emails sent in by residents concerned with the idea of the borough placing a potential cannabis dispensary at the site of the former Tuckerton Beach Grill.
The address is 334/336 Atlantic City Boulevard in South Toms River, the former home of Captain Hippo’s Bait And Tackle. The companies name, according to a makeshift grommeted sign on top of the building will be the Social Leaf Dispensary.
There is no word on an opening date for the dispensary, which would be the fourth in South and Central Jersey, and the first in Ocean County. For now the sign reads “Coming Soon”. Obviously, It’s an ominous phrase considering the feelings and opinions that are sure to follow the news of Ocean County’s first recreational cannabis dispensary.
So that leads us to current "cannabis" news here in Ocean County. Construction is underway on the first "recreational" cannabis dispensary here in Ocean County.
The "Social Leaf Dispensary" has begun construction at its future location which will be at 334/336 Atlantic City Blvd in South Toms River. There is no word yet on any opening date, but as soon as we get the official word we will pass that along to you.
Pine Beach resident Candace Johnson returned after initially introducing herself during the Dec. 19 council meeting, and making an appearance at the Jan. 19 land use board meeting to lobby in support of cannabis.
“I understand that the borough will be considering an ordinance over the next two meetings to opt in for cannabis, so I’m here tonight to voice my support for that ordinance, and to advocate for my company, Jersey Shore Extracts LLC, as the right group to bring a dispensary here in a responsible way.”
The Lakehurst Borough Council unanimously approved the three businesses — a manufacturer license and two retail licenses — at its Sept. 15 council meeting.
It approved Life Extracts LLC for a Class 2 cannabis manufacturer license for an operation that will be in the light industrial zone. The retail licenses were approves for Stoke Industries LLC to be located at 112 Center St. and for C3 Lakehurst LLC at 145 Route 70, former Burger King property.
It has been five weeks since New Jersey had its first sales of recreational marijuana. This week, the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved five more locations. And medical marijuana dispensaries no longer must wait a year after opening before entering the recreational adult-use market.
What makes the Township of Ocean (Waretown) unique is the municipality already has a medical marijuana dispensary in the process of setting up shop.
As far back as last summer, authorities revealed that a company named Justice Cannabis Co. planned to provide access to medical marijuana patients in a standalone building. The dispensary will face Route 9 behind the empty building formerly occupied by Ocean First Bank in the Waretown ShopRite Plaza.
But marijuana remains classified as a Schedule 1 prohibited drug under federal law. Because of that and because there is no way to determine in the field whether someone is impaired by marijuana, the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy say it should be banned for law enforcement.
"Marijuana when consumed stays in your system for 30 days," said John P. Kelly, director of the board of commissioners, "and there are no field tests to determine the level of marijuana intoxication."
Ocean County sheriff’s officers are prohibited from using marijuana when off duty, despite a memo from acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin asserting that they can.
Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy has informed his police unions that there will be “ramifications” if an officer is discovered to have violated the county policy, said Jack Kelly, director of the county Board of Commissioners. However, the sheriff has stopped short of threatening to terminate any employee who does so.