Upper Freehold Officials Voting On Medical Marijuana Nursery Today
UPPER FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP / WCBS 880) - Officials in a central New Jersey town are set to vote Thursday on a unique approach to keep a legal marijuana growing facility from taking root.
WCBS 880's Levon Putney On The Story
Podcast
Upper Freehold officials have proposed an ordinance that would block local approval for anything that breaks federal law.
The idea came after Breakwater Alternative Treatment Center announced plans to grow medical marijuana in greenhouses on a farm in the rural Monmouth County community.
There are many people in Upper Freehold opposed to having a medical marijuana nursery in town.
"Because it gives the younger kids an idea that maybe they should try it," said one man.
Some people do support it, as long as it's secure.
"The way the economy is everybody's breaking into stuff... good security," said one woman.
"We submitted an 18-page security plan that was approved by the state," said Breakwater attorney Jon Fisher.
He says they're confident about security and says the facility would fit right in with this farming community.
As for the ordinance, Fisher told WCBS 880 reporter Levon Putney, "There's many people that are for things, just not in their backyard."
Fisher says they'd rather not sue over this and will try to look elsewhere if town officials keep fighting them.
New Jersey's law that allows medical marijuana for patients with certain conditions has been slow to launch. The state selected six nonprofit groups to grow and sell the pot. But so far only one has announced full zoning approval for its operations.
Others have run into local opposition.
Do you support or oppose medical marijuana? Sound off in the comments section below!
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
