Mary Oakes, an Oceanport resident who came to Madison to tell the story of her husband, a medical cannabis user, echoed that sentiment. Oakes claims that her husband was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2016.
"He was given two months to live. My husband lived four years and ten months because of the use of medical cannabis. It kept him off of every kind of opioid they wanted to shove down him to keep him pain free," Oakes said.
Two more non-Madison residents took the podium, one dressed as a bong, and after refusing to give their name to the council, sang a song about medical cannabis, listing all of the towns in New Jersey that currently allow it.
"I'm not sure if I'm back in the twilight zone, or if there is actually someone in attendance here tonight in a huge purple bong costume with a guitar. While some people here think dressing up, laughing, singing and making a joke of this is appropriate. I find it insulting," resident Caitlin Santora said.
Edward Grimes, a member of Sativacross.org, a nonprofit that advocates for disabled people's rights, also spoke out against Madison's decision. Following his remark, Grimes filmed all speakers who rose to speak, much to the chagrin of the audience.