OLD TAPPAN — The Borough Council plans to draft prohibitions that would add it to the list of New Jersey towns that oppose recreational marijuana sales irrespective of a state law that would legalize the use of the drug.
“There are too many problems associated with it,” Mayor John Kramer said. “The estimated value in revenue is outweighed by the headaches and complications it will cause our law enforcement.”
A bill being considered by the state Legislature would make marijuana legal for anyone who is at least 21 years old and would further expand medical access to the drug.
Experts forecast that New Jersey’s marijuana industry would reach $850 million a year in 2022, or about 2.4 percent of the total U.S. market, across nearly 100 retail locations.
But there has been pushback from officials in many towns throughout the state.
Westwood, Franklin Lakes and Mahwah are among those that have banned growing or selling marijuana within municipal limits.
Since taking office in January, Gov. Phil Murphy has pushed to make New Jersey the latest state to allow adults to buy and use marijuana for recreational uses. But lawmakers have missed several informal deadlines to pass a legalization measure, including state Senate President Steve Sweeney’s vow to pass a bill by the end of September.
Credit: https://www.northjersey.com
