Most New Jerseyites are waiting with bated breath for the changing of the governor’s guard. Chris Christie leaves the office as the least popular governor in the history of the US, whereas governor elect Phil Murphy is coming in on a promise. A promise to legalize cannabis for the Garden State during his first 100 days in office.
But not everyone is happy. Point Pleasant Beach’s borough council are making their anti-cannabis views public. As of December 19, the council unanimously voted down cannabis dispensaries, both medical and recreational.
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Not that they’re all against cannabis, according to a statement, but because Point Pleasant Beach is “known as a family town” and the council just doesn’t see a place for pot in their family themed atmosphere.
According to App, an unhappy cannabis activist, patient and Point Pleasant resident, Eric Karsh, pointed out that, “You can get alcohol on one corner and a pharmacy where you can get opioids across the street,” he said. “They are under the guise that they have this quaint little family town, yet you have Martell’s Tiki Bar and Jenkinson’s, where there’s more drunk fights than you’ve ever seen. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Because of the vote, when New Jersey does go legal, Point Pleasant Beach will not see a drop of cannabis related revenue, but they are perfectly pleased with that fact and even boasted that the thought hadn’t factored into the decision.
While Karsh points out that, “Medical marijuana should be available to everyone,” the council says that while it keeps cannabis out of Point Pleasant Beach, there’s nothing stopping residents from going to the next borough over and obtaining medicine.
The borough basically wants to be certain that cannabis facilities are not allowed within a quarter mile of churches, schools, playgrounds, in any residential or commercial zone and away from marine commercial areas.
We’ll see how this all plays out once Murphy is in office. Other towns have already begun to consider not allowing cannabis as well, including Lavallette and Seaside Heights.
