'Destigmatizing Cannabis:' Parsippany Dispensary Owners Host Forum

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Two local business owners who proposed amending Parsippany's current cannabis ordinance to allow for a dispensary are hosting a public forum this week.

The owners of Happy Daze Boutique are hosting an open forum and educational event for all Parsippany residents and business owners to learn more about what it means to have a state-licensed cannabis dispensary.

The forum will be held at the Parsippany – Troy Hills Public Library, which is located at 449 Halsey Road, on Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m.

Cassara Grasso and Shaun Astorga are the proprietors of Happy Daze Boutique, which is located in Parsippany. The goal of Happy Daze Boutique is to open the first cannabis dispensary in Parsippany that is locally owned and run by a woman.

Applying to open a cannabis business in Parsippany became legal nearly two years ago, with the caveat that there are many restrictions.

Businesses are currently permitted only within certain zones in Parsippany, all of which are at least 1,000 feet from school properties and 500 feet from public facilities and homes. They can only be open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Cannabis businesses must operate in enclosed buildings with no outdoor storage, and cannabis products may not be visible in public places.

A change to the ordinance was proposed in March, and residents' opinions on the subject have since been divided.

The council appears divided on the issue, with Council Vice President Michael dePierro and Council President Loretta Gragnani speaking against the amendment and Councilman Justin Musella speaking in favor.

dePierro previously stated that pharmacies are not currently permitted to sell medical cannabis because drugs sold in pharmacies must be FDA-approved.

As of right now, the FDA has not approved any other cannabis, cannabis-derived, or cannabidiol (CBD) products currently available on the market, according to the FDA website.

Gragnani said that her main concern lies with the detrimental effects that cannabis has on young adults. "Having experienced the effects it has on young people and how it is a gateway drug, my opinion is that it leads to other things: it leads to heroin, leads to overuse and leads to death."

Musella previously spoke in favor of a potential amendment, claiming that it was worthwhile to look into other sources of revenue for the township and keep businesses local. He stated on April 4 that forming a committee to further investigate the township's options and gather multiple perspectives would be an idea he could support.