Recreational Marijuana Businesses Approved In Gloucester Township

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Recreational marijuana establishments that are licensed by the state will now be permitted to operate in Gloucester Township after legislation that was passed at Monday night's council meeting.

But although the vote was unanimous, there was one council member who voiced his disdain for the fact that recreational marijuana is now legal in New Jersey.

“I just feel so sorry for our children,” Gloucester Township Councilman Dan Hutchison said. “Our kids are bombarded with gambling, bombarded with marijuana, bombarded with alcohol. I feel terrible about voting in favor of this ordinance, but three-fourths of the population in this town want this stuff, and I guess I have to do it.”

The three-fourths Hutchison was referring to was the fraction of Gloucester Township voters who joined the majority of New Jersey residents in voting to approve the use of recreational marijuana in the Garden State in the November 2020 elections.

The proposal council approved sets forth what type of businesses would be permitted in particular sections of the township. Although the local governing body has no control over whether residents can use recreational marijuana and whether it is delivered into the township, residents still spoke in opposition to the legalization of cannabis.

“I grew up in North Philly, and I’ve seen what drugs can do,” Leslie Soto Munoz said. “There are a lot of drugs in North Philly. The drug dealers prey on people’s problems. People take drugs to take the pain away, but they have to come back to get more of it. Drug dealers got rich, they drove beautiful cars, they wore outstanding outfits. They made a lot of money off poor people. Those neighborhoods are trashed, and they continue to be trashed. Just because something will benefit us monetarily does not make it OK to damage our communities.”

Others were concerned about what the cultivation and manufacturing industry will look like in town.

“I’m not in favor of any marijuana legalization, but that is not my place,” Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins said. “Manufacturing is not the concern. Most of the time, you don’t even know what they’re manufacturing. There’s a facility in Bellmawr, and other than the odor, you would never know what that facility is.”

Hugh Giordano, a union representative and organizer for the UFCW Local 152, spoke in favor of the legislation, saying the industry provides jobs and economic benefits for the township.

“There are massive amounts of cameras,” Giordano said. It’s more secure than the bank, Rite Aid and CVS. They hire retired police officers. They check twice, once at check-in and once when they go to sell. The cameras go directly to the Department of Health and the New Jersey State Police. They protect both the workers and the citizens.”

He suggested that after the legislation passed, the township go back and look at a merit-based application system, similar to what is used in Bayonne. The system considers labor standards, environmental standards and ownership standards to make sure micro-businesses have a fair shot.

But council had to make sure it passed something Monday night. Municipalities statewide have until Aug. 22 to make a decision, and Gloucester Township Council next meets on Aug. 23.

Each municipality has three options. They can prohibit the sale of cannabis in their municipalities, lifting that prohibition at any time. They can allow the sale of cannabis, but it has to be permitted for at least five years. Or, they can do nothing, and lose all control over the regulation of the sale of cannabis in their townships.

Gloucester Township's strategy is to allow it, so it can have jurisdiction over how it is handled locally. Read more here: Gloucester Township Bans Use Of Recreational Marijuana In Public

The state's cannabis commission won't issue regulations concerning recreational marijuana until Aug. 21. With municipalities having until Aug. 22 to make a decision, they have to make a decision before they know what the regulations will be.

The state has established six types of licenses:

• Class 1: Cannabis Cultivator license, for facilities involved in growing and cultivating cannabis;
• Class 2: Cannabis Manufacturer license, for facilities involved m the manufacturing, preparation, and packaging of cannabis items;
• Class 3: Cannabis Wholesaler license, for facilities involved in obtaining and selling cannabis items for later resale by other licensees;
• Class 4: Cannabis Distributor license, for businesses involved in transporting cannabis plants in bulk from one licensed cultivator to another licensed cultivator, or cannabis items in bulk from any type of licensed cannabis business to another;
• Class 5: Cannabis Retailer license for locations at which cannabis items and related supplies are sold to consumers; and
• Class 6: Cannabis Delivery license, for businesses providing courier services for consumer purchases that are fulfilled by a licensed cannabis retailer in order to make deliveries of the purchased items to a consumer. It also includes services that would include the ability of a consumer to make a purchase directly through the cannabis delivery service which would be presented by the delivery service for fulfillment by a retailer and then delivered to a consumer.

According to the proposal posted on the township's website, Class 5 licenses would be permitted as a conditional use in the:

• Highway Commercial Zone;
• Commercial Residential Zone;
• Neighborhood Commercial Zone;
• New Vision Business Park District; and
• Blackwood West Redevelopment Zone.

Class 5 license holders would be allowed to operate as a permitted use in the Villages of Gloucester Township Rehabilitation District.

Class 1 and Class 2 license holders would be permitted as a conditional use in the General Industry Zone. Marijuana wholesalers and distributors using Class 3 or Class 4 licenses may operate under certain conditions in the township.

Licensed Laboratory Testing Facilities would be allowed as a permitted use in the Business Park Zone and the New Vision Business Park District.

Vertically Integrated Alternative Treatment Centers and Co-Located Operations would be allowed as a permitted use in the New Vision Business Park District.

The proposal also sets forth licensing procedures and fees, and prohibits public consumption.

Anyone holding a Class 1, 2, or 5 license will be subject to a 2 percent municipal transfer tax on the lawful sale of marijuana, and those with a Class 3 license will be subject to a 1 percent tax.

The full text of the proposed ordinance can be viewed at glotwp.com.