MIDDLETOWN, NJ — At their Monday night meeting, the Middletown Township Committee unanimously voted to prohibit recreational marijuana businesses from opening within Middletown limits.
Holmdel and Aberdeen are in the process of passing similar bans, and even Asbury Park (run by a Democratic mayor and all-Democrat Council) passed a ban on pot shops, saying they haven’t been able to come up with “thoughtful marijuana zoning regulations.”
Middletown’s ban includes marijuana-grow businesses and marijuana-delivery businesses. Any business related to recreational marijuana cannot open in Middletown, even though marijuana is now considered legal in the state of New Jersey. Middletown’s ban does not relate at all to medical marijuana.
Many members of the public commented at Monday night’s meeting.
One man (name inaudible) said because New Jersey is one of the nation’s most densely populated states, he was worried about the possibility that there will be many more traffic accidents now that marijuana is fully legalized. He also said a prohibition like this will make it more difficult for younger people to get marijuana, which he said was a good thing.
But another resident, a woman, said “I don’t believe people voted for something to be legal, but don’t want to have access to it.”
And another woman said she would like to see Middletown “embrace the new cannabis law. Access to marijuana should be equal to access to liquor stores. It’s a loss of revenue,” she said. “Let’s be a leader in the state and have these dispensaries in our town. The citizens of this state have decided that marijuana should be decriminalized. So now let us have access. Let us put it on par with liquor.”
However, at that point Middletown Mayor Tony Perry interrupted her and said:
“For the longest time I keep hearing, ‘Let’s govern it like we do alcohol,’ but it is not governed like alcohol,” he said. “Licenses are not determined by population; they are determined by the governing body. Background checks are not done by the police, they are done by the state.”
Perry, a Republican, then continued his oft-repeated criticism of the Gov. Murphy-formed Cannabis Regulatory Commission, saying they have been silent on marijuana regulations, such as where pot shops can open up.
“The reason municipalities are opting out is because of the lack of information,” said Perry. “How far should a marijuana dispensary be from a school, a house of worship, a park? You’re taking away the certain rights of parents.”
“Tony, I’m not here so you can campaign for whatever higher office that you’re trying to get,” said one resident, who spoke against Middletown’s marijuana ban.
“I’m not campaigning for higher office; my name is on the ballot this year,” shot back Perry.
Perry also said he has “zero confidence” the state of New Jersey will give Middletown the tax revenue from any marijuana business.
Watch Monday night’s Township Committee meeting; the marijuana public testimony and vote begins at about the 41-minute mark:
Another woman from the Ideal Beach community thanked the Township Committee for the ban, saying access to marijuana can severely bring down public health and the quality of life.
“Thank you for putting the majority of Middletown residents who support this ordinance. We are reasonable people who care about the community we call home,” she said.
Last November, more than 70 percent of New Jersey voters said they approve marijuana being legalized
But then in early 2021, the New Jersey League of Municipalities said towns in New Jersey have until Aug. 21 to enact ordinances banning pot shops, if they so choose. If they do not pass this ban by Aug. 21, New Jersey towns would not be able to ban marijuana businesses from opening for the next five years.
Middletown can change its mind at any time, and decide to allow recreational pot shops to open.
Prior: Public Hearing On Middletown’s Proposed Marijuana Ban Monday (July 16)
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