Freehold Township officials ban cultivation, sale of marijuana

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – The Township Committee has taken action to uphold a ban on the cultivation, harvest and sale of marijuana in the Freehold Township and to outlaw the use of the substance by minors. At the same time, officials agreed to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the community.

On June 22nd, committee members passed two ordinances on the use of marijuana in the Freehold community.

The first regulation passed by committee members will prohibit cannabis growers, cannabis delivery services, cannabis dealers, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis retailers and cannabis wholesalers from operating in Freehold Township.

Cannabis items and supplies may be delivered in Freehold Township by a licensed cannabis delivery service based outside the community.

The ordinance permits the operation of medical cannabis pharmacies with or without an indoor consumption area on their premises. Outdoor consumption areas on site are not permitted.

According to the regulation, dispensaries for medical cannabis are only allowed to operate in Hospital Zone H-1 of Freehold Township.

Prior to the adoption of the ordinance, the committee passed a resolution confirming receipt and review of a report from the planning committee that found the ordinance to be in line with the municipality’s master plan.

The second regulation approved by committee members prohibit the possession or consumption of cannabis articles by minors.

As stated in the regulation, a person must be at least 21 years old to legally use adult marijuana (also known as recreational marijuana).

Anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited from possessing or consuming marijuana items on private and public property.

The Township Committee’s actions follow the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act, also known as A-21, which was approved by state lawmakers in February after New Jersey voters approved a 2020 constitutional amendment Had approved marijuana legalization.

State legislation legalizes recreational marijuana use for certain adults subject to state regulation; it decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana and hashish (a concentrate of marijuana); and it removes marijuana as a List I drug (high potential for abuse).

Before adults consume marijuana Legalized in New Jersey in 2021, the Township Committee passed an ordinance in 2018 banning the production and sale of marijuana in freehold township by amending the local land use ordinance.

The 2018 ordinance was passed by the governing body after the inauguration of Governor Phil Murphy, who said he would take steps to legalize marijuana for adult use.

The first ordinance the committee passed on June 22 was an amendment to the 2018 ordinance repealing and replacing provisions that were invalidated by the enactment of A-21 at the state level.

The second ordinance, which the committee passed on June 22nd, created a new chapter in the community code book entitled “Recreational Cannabis”.

Hugh Giordano, a representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, thanked committee members for allowing medical cannabis dispensaries to operate in Freehold Township, but urged township elected officials to be less restrictive of the marijuana industry.

“These jobs are highly skilled,” said Giordano. “These people have degrees in chemistry and botany. Pharmacists also work there in retail. I suggest coming to (a company pharmacy) where you can see how it is operated and what security is in place. I’m happy to say that these institutions are hiring ex-cops because we want to use the best and brightest in all forms of the industry. “