The police department, however, offered a more sobering take.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday evening, Chief Angelo Daniele, Capt. George Guzmán and Mayor Michael Johnson said Molly Ann Farms and any future cannabis retailer in the borough will adhere to strict security rules. The “highest degree of professional standards” is in place, they said, to monitor such businesses.
The dispensary will not only “fuel the economy,” Johnson said, but it will also “prioritize public health” by providing a legal alternative to a dangerous underground market for drug sales.
The officers said cannabis consumption on the grounds of the dispensary will be prohibited.
“Our residents should not be alarmed,” they said in the statement. “The Haledon Police Department will continue making public safety a top priority.”