The amount of money to be made growing cannabis for medical or recreational use is enormous.
That came through loud and clear at Tuesday’s talk by Green Living Technologies International President George Irwin at Linwood Country Club. Irwin was the main speaker at the February meeting of the Public Relations Council of Greater Atlantic City.
A proposal to ban the sale of recreational marijuana drew dozens of attendees to a Township Council meeting on Tuesday, where they argued for more than an hour over the potential merits and possible pitfalls of legal cannabis shops and facilities in the township.
New Jersey’s governor and legislature agreed to terms earlier this month to allow S830 to move forward, the bill that would legalize marijuana for adults and create a regulated marketplace in the state.
It has been Governor Murphy’s mission since he took office – legalize marijuana like beer and reap the benefits of the tax revenue. It’s a scheme that has been implemented and is working in several other states, including Colorado and California. Yet, when it comes to New Jersey, nobody seems to agree on how marijuana taxes should add up. Murphy says it’s “complicated” because the state has to create “an entire industry from scratch.” It’s a situation that is getting closer to being resolved. He told reporters this week that feels “optimistic” that the deal will get done soon.
The ordinance is restricted only to recreational sales and cultivation, and its effects – if any – on a proposed medical dispensary and grow house off Adamston Road are unknown. The controversial medical marijuana facility has drawn outrage from neighboring residents and, in recent weeks, has become a personal battle between the residents and owners of the proposed facility – devolving to threats of litigation and police reports filed for harassment.
The governor's promise to legalize the use of recreational marijuana has made residents across the state call for towns to ban it. But Brick officials said they wanted to hold off on making any decisions until there was some clear information on where the state was headed on the topic.
Town officials have apparently decided the time to act is now: an ordinance is on the agenda for a first reading at Tuesday's Township Council meeting to ban recreational marijuana in the Brick.
The Township Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would ban the sale, cultivation and manufacturing of marijuana for recreational use.
Mayor John G. Ducey confirmed that the Township Council would vote on the ordinance at its regular meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. in town hall at 401 Chambers Bridge Road.
“Like anything else it’s all about the money,” Bucci argued.
Bucci believes the state is missing an opportunity if there’s any tax at all, at least in the beginning.
“I firmly believe if you really want to get rid of that street corner dealer, legalize marijuana and put no tax on it the first two years.”
The former trooper says lawmakers can then gradually add in the tax after that. Supporters are still up against those who say “slow down.”
Cannabis legalization without home cultivation is not legalization, it's monopolization. New Jersey medicinal cannabis patients need home cultivation for affordable access and adults, in general, need it as a means for fairness and social justice in legalization.
All states that have legalized cannabis allow for patient medicinal cannabis home cultivation. Don't let politics leave New Jerseyans out, still criminalized and with lack of affordable access like legislators are planning.
Senate President Steve Sweeney on Thursday said that efforts to lobby members of his caucus who are resistant to or undecided on legalized marijuana have not begun.
“Well, we don’t have a final bill yet,” Sweeney said. “So, once we have a final bill, that’s when we’ll actually start to lobby.”
Sweeney and Gov. Phil Murphy have reached a rough framework on a legalized marijuana, but they still face the same hurdles in the state Senate that they did when they attempted to pass a marijuana legalization bill some months ago.