The township's governing body is taking the steps to ban marijuana businesses in the township with the introduction of an ordinance aimed at barring cannabis-related businesses from operating in the municipality.
At a May 25 council meeting, the five-member organization introduced an ordinance set to prohibit "the operation of any class of cannabis business" in Howell. A public hearing for the proposed ordinance is set for June 15.
Although New Jersey voters approved the legalization of marijuana during the November 2020 general election 67.1 percent to 32.9 percent, local municipalities can still bar businesses from selling cannabis in town (in Monmouth County, the vote breaks down to 65.6 percent to 34.4 percent, with 63.39 percent of Howell voters saying "yes" to weed legalization).
"This prohibition shall not apply to the delivery of cannabis items and related supplies being delivered into Howell Township by a cannabis delivery service located outside the geographic boundaries of Howell Township, which delivery service shall have been duly licensed by the municipality in which it operates," the proposed ordinance reads.