Princeton’s Board Of Health Weighs In On Cannabis Retail Debate

PRINCETON, NJ — The Princeton Board of Health (BOH) on Tuesday decided to hold off on recommending to Council to defer action on approving cannabis retail in town.

Ahead of the meeting, the BOH had come up with a recommendation that Council should defer any action on the Cannabis dispensary ordination pending additional planning and further study on health impacts.

However, after a two-hour-long meeting, the BOH decided to hold off on making any recommendation, choosing to send it back to the ad hoc committee.

At the last meeting held Feb. 8, BOH members met to consider the health impacts of legalizing recreational marijuana, and the specifics of the Princeton Cannabis Task Force’s Nov. 23 report, which recommends three dispensaries in town.

Although Princeton voters overwhelmingly voted to legalize marijuana, the question of cannabis retail in town has caused much-heated debate.

The BOH workgroup came up with a 12-page report of the health impacts of cannabis with a resolution to defer licensing for retail " pending implementation of public health safeguards.”

Before allowing retail, the BOH’s proposed recommendation suggests these four steps:

• Near-term planning and actions to minimize potential harms for portions of our community at the highest risk, including toddlers, middle and high school-aged youth, those pregnant, and people over 65 years of age.
• Longer-term planning and implementation of community-based public health education and prevention programs are needed, to inform the entire population on the risks associated with recreational cannabis use, and to counter commercial efforts to normalize consumption and promote increased use of the product.
• Adequate resources and training will be needed for local efforts, both by the Princeton Health Department and other municipal units, to enforce age of sale laws and advertising restrictions, as well as other point-of-sale regulations to protect health and safety, to ensure security at retail sites, promote safe working conditions for employees, and guarantee the health and safety of those called upon to regulate such sites
• Sufficient resources should be allocated at either the local, county or state level to periodically monitor and report on the impact of recreational cannabis policies on the vulnerable populations noted above.

During the meeting, many BOH members had a difference of opinion among themselves. They also noted that the Council's work session on March 29, might give rise to more questions and concerns. Keeping this in mind, they voted to hold off on telling Council to defer on making a decision.

You can see the health department's recommendations here.