Introduction to S2703
By Gary Beeg Jr
The Brick Township Council introduced Chapter 340, to Prohibit Retail Sale, Cultivation, Manufacturing and Testing of Marijuana Products for Recreational Use with the Township of Brick on Feb. 26.
The room was heavily divided with both proponents and opponents. Both sides took the podium for a total of 5 minutes once the council granted the public the floor. Proponents argued that it was another intoxicant that their community did not need and there was no way true way to tell if someone was under the influence, as there is with alcohol. Motor vehicle, boating and fire accidents were among the top concerns by the public. One speaker said that marijuana only raised a woman’s risk to be sexually assaulted.
“Seventy NJ towns have opposed the S2703,” said Stephen Reid, Executive Director of the NJ RAMP Association and mayor of Point Pleasant Beach. “Ocean County is the first county to say no, not in our backyard.”
Responsible Approach for Marijuana Policy (RAMP) is a statewide group opposing marijuana.
“The Senate needs twenty-one votes,” Reid said. “They may only have fifteen or sixteen right now.”
Proponents for the bill cited their own personal experiences with marijuana. They ranged from retired military veterans to reformed drug addicts to a man with Stage 4 cancer. They also cited relatives and friends that medicinal marijuana had helped through physical and mental ailments. Many in support of S2703 called for the outlawing of alcohol and cited it as an intoxicant far worse than marijuana.
Councilman Jim Fozman, who crossed over from a Democrat to a Republican last year, said he himself visited a marijuana dispensary in Las Vegas, Nevada for his own experience.
“They check your ID’s and I looked around,” Fozman said, indicating that he did not purchase anything when questioned by fellow Councilman Arthur Halloran. “When I left, I noticed there was no one hanging around outside the dispensary.”
The next council meeting will be on March 12 and 26, where the issue will be discussed more.
But they allow this at the pleasure zone
I thought it was just for men to watch videos!!! Sad it’s on the way to the high school and now the elementary school.
Sue Floeck
Tiffany Przybos yuck
There’s one thing if the state uses this the towns that had ordinances against it went win. As it is legal I’m the state and state laws override township ordinances. Let out it this the stay m state appellate Curry will be very very very busy.
Nice. Do it after someone comes to the board!!
But the pharmacies can sell opioids ?
This is the most asinine comment I have ever read when it comes to weed…..One speaker said that marijuana only raised a woman’s risk to be sexually assaulted….Seriously????? How about all the junkies OD’ing basically turning streets into the walking dead? That’s not a problem with narcan express out 30 times a day but yeah weed is the issue….SMFH
How is brick gonna allow a methadone clinic but not this! I don’t get it, smh!
No Marijuana in Brick???
But METHADONE Clinics are in Brick.
But clean needles and narcan for junkies is completely business as usual. Brick is going to miss out on millions of tax revenue.
Dumb asses more money for some other town.
Only Heroin allowed in Bricks Backyard