A medical marijuana facility can open in Lacey's industrial park.
Members of the township Planning Board voted Monday to approved the facility and expressed sympathy for patients suffering from serious illness and chronic pain.
Phoenix Health Ventures LLC, headed by Dr. John Kulin, received approval to dispense medical cannabis to patients from 713A Old Shore Road, a building at the back of the industrial park.
Kulin was president and CEO of Urgent Care Now, a chain of urgent care centers at the Jersey Shore that was acquired by healthcare company CityMD.
"This is not related to recreational (use)… This is medical use, using cannabis as a medicine for people with painful conditions, cancer, end-of-life conditions," Kulin told the Planning Board. "For the significant number of patients in this area who currently have a medical card for the state marijuana program, the closest dispensary is Egg Harbor Township."