Democrat candidate for mayor Ben Giovine said if he is elected mayor of Toms River in November, he will push to overturn a 2021 ban on the sale of legal marijuana in Toms River. The Toms River Township Council voted against allowing weed businesses to operate within the town.
Giovine said the township would benefit from the sale of legal marijuana in the community, pumping the township coffers with more money.
When it comes to legal weed sales in Toms River, the township council appears to be at an impasse.
While some council members have previously indicated they might support medical marijuana sales in town, the state is no longer issuing licenses to sell medicinal weed.
"We were talking and talking and talking about medicinal marijuana," Council President Matt Lotano said. "Now the state is not issuing medical marijuana licenses anymore. It kinda killed the conversation."
In Arizona, police aren’t allowed to consume marijuana, recreationally or medicinally, so some of Jacobs’ former colleagues can’t partake like he can. Jacobs thinks more states should follow New Jersey’s lead. Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin reminded law enforcement chiefs recently that the New Jersey law allowing for recreational marijuana permits cops to consume it off duty.
The township council has voted to permanently ban recreational marijuana businesses from operating, rejecting a less-sweeping prohibition recommended by a study committee.
Council members approved the ban in a 4-1 vote, with two members abstaining due to conflicts. Several members have said they could revisit the marijuana issue — to permit medical marijuana dispensaries.
Only Councilwoman Laurie Huryk voted against an ordinance banning recreational weed businesses.
Toms River residents who were hoping the township would reconsider its ban on retail recreational cannabis businesses appear be out of luck, after the council introduced an ordinance earlier this week to rescind a sunset provision on the ban.
The ordinance, which is set for a second reading and final adoption at the Nov. 23 council meeting, rescinds the Dec. 31 sunset date that was put in place in July when the council passed its ban.
Marijuana businesses are likely to be banned indefinitely here after Township Council members introduced a measure that would eliminate the Dec. 31 expiration date for the weed business ban.
Four council members -- Kevin M. Geoghegan, Maria Maruca, Matt Lotano and Daniel Rodrick -- voted to scrap the Dec. 31 date on Tuesday. Council members Josh Kopp and Terrance Turnbach abstained, while Councilwoman Laurie Huryk voted "no" on the measure.
In addition to adopting an ordinance barring businesses that sell, manufacture and distribute weed from operating in town, the council on Tuesday also voted 5 to 1 — with Councilman Josh Kopp abstaining — to introduce a companion measure that sets a Dec. 31 expiration date on the weed business ban.
That will give Toms River's cannabis committee more time to continue its discussions on whether to permit weed-related businesses in the township, and if so, to decide where they should be located.
Council members Laurie Huryk and Daniel Rodrick will join local residents on a committee that will discuss whether marijuana businesses should be allowed in the township.
Members of the committee are expected to be appointed Tuesday. The council last week again tabled an ordinance that would bar companies that sell, manufacture or distribute weed from operating in town. The measure is expected to be discussed again — and possibly voted on — at the July 13 council meeting.
“The thought process on how the repeal is going to work is flawed,” he said. The towns think, “‘we ban everything now, then we change our minds later, so now we want to allow things.’ You have to repeal your opt-out ban. Now, you’re back in a situation where your town does not have a duly adopted law by Aug. 21 to ban certain cannabis businesses.”
The Township Council held off on their original plan of banning cannabis businesses in town until they have more information about the pros and cons.
Voters passed the state referendum, wanting legalized recreational marijuana. State lawmakers then put together what they thought that should look like. Included in that law was that every town had to decide for themselves if businesses were allowed within their borders.