Public Input Sought On Marijuana In Chatham Borough

CHATHAM, NJ - Legislation to legalize the use of marijuana in New Jersey is likely to be introduced in soon and, while parties on both sides of the issue are pushing for public approval, Chatham Borough is seeking public input to help the Mayor and Council decide what they will land on.

At the Sept. 12 meeting of the governing body, Councilman James Collander appealed to the public for their opinion and Council President Len Resto said that he did not support the usage of marijuana past its medicinal application.

But Councilman Bob Weber told Patch that there is no place for a proposed pot shop in Chatham Borough.

"As a father, teacher, and scout leader I am very concerned about the impact legalized marijuana will have on our children and young adults. By legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, children and young adults will mistakenly believe that marijuana use is not harmful. For those with developing brains, under 26 years of age, this is simply not true," Weber said. "Regular use of marijuana by adolescents and young adults impacts brain development and results in lower scores on executive functions, including memory, learning and other cognitive tests than non-users. Despite this evidence, the state wants to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for those 21 and over."

Weber, a former Assistant Morris County Prosecutor for 26 years, said it is naive to think that regulation by the state will prevent those under 21 from obtaining and using marijuana.

"Laws restricting the use of tobacco products and alcohol to those 21 and older haven’t been successful; a similar law for marijuana will not work either. Teen use of marijuana in NJ is currently one of the lowest in the nation, while Colorado, where marijuana use is legal, has the highest," Weber said. "As a society, we should be making it more difficult for kids and young adults to get drugs, not easier."

Out of his 26 years as a prosecutor, 18 of them were spent investigating and prosecuting drug cases.

"As a former drug prosecutor I witnessed first-hand the devastating impact drug use/drug abuse has on individuals, families and communities. Simply put, drug use/abuse ruins lives," Weber said. As far as I am concerned, no amount of new tax revenue can justify the risks of dependency and death, not even for just one family. For those in the community who think the tax benefit outweighs the risks, I would ask them how do we put a price on the ruined life of someone’s loved one."

In nearby Chatham Township, The Chatham Township committee voted in April to ban commercial sales of marijuana within the town. The ban includes "marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana production or manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities, and retail marijuana stores." The ban is a preemptive measure in case a marijuana is legalized recreationally on the state level, something Gov. Phil Murphy has said he supports.

"Our efforts to ban the production, manufacturing, and sale of marijuana in Chatham Township in April was a preemptive measure against Governor Murphy’s ill-conceived idea that legalizing recreational marijuana would be in the best interest of New Jersey," Chatham Township Mayor Curt Ritter told Patch. "As the Garden State I would prefer that New Jersey continue be recognized for its cranberries, tomatoes, and corn and not for drugs that will have a detrimental impact on our communities."

For his part, Weber wants something similar done in Chatham Borough.

"Yes, Chatham Borough should follow suit. More than thirty towns in NJ have passed similar ordinances and/or resolutions opposing the legalization of marijuana for recreational use and, should it become legal, banning the operation of marijuana-related businesses within their borders," Weber said. "By taking such action these municipalities have recognized the dangers associated with the legalization of marijuana for recreational use."

Beyond the issue of use among children and Weber said he sees a logistics problem as well as legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and expanding the medical marijuana program, could see an explosion of marijuana-related businesses popping-up throughout the state.

"Chatham Borough’s current zoning code would not prevent a pot shop from opening in town. I want to make sure that doesn’t happen by acting now to bar such business from the Borough," Weber said. "As I previously stated, we should be making it harder for kids and young adults to get drugs, not easier."

Reach out to the Chatham Borough Mayor and Council by clicking here.

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

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