Princeton To Set Up Cannabis Task Force As NJ Nears Possible Deal

PRINCETON, NJ — On Tuesday, Patch reported that New Jersey was close to a “possible” deal that will officially legalize marijuana in the state.

At the town council meeting held on Feb. 2, Councilwoman Eve Niedergang announced the establishment of a cannabis task force “in the near future.”

Read More Here: NJ Near Possible Deal On Marijuana Legalization

“We know that legalization is coming. And whether we were personally in favor or against legalization, we must confront the issues that will be raised as a result of legalization,” she said.

Marijuana legalization has been a topic of discussion among Princetonians for a while, with Princeton Police saying they’ve received numerous inquiries about the status of legalization.

The task force will be led by Niedergang, councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros and council president Leticia Fraga.

The task force will meet to sketch out guidelines about which groups and institutions need to be represented to ensure all viewpoints are included. They also plan to take input from community members, the business community and partner organizations.

The aim of the task force is to recommend whether the township will host a cannabis dispensary. They will also be looking into the best “educational message” on the issue for minors, adults and seniors, using the “best data available and the most recent science.”

The task force will be working with the police and local prosecutor to shape Princeton’s marijuana enforcement policies, especially with regard to underage possession and use of cannabis, enforcement of public use and driving under the influence, Niedergang said.

“This is a work in progress. If there are other areas the task force should look into, please contact us and let us know,” she said.

Councilwoman Lambros said she wants to focus on equity and social justice issues around cannabis usage and dispensaries.

“There are programs out there which are really interesting for helping do like a franchise type ownership/participating that is designed for minority owned cannabis dispensaries,” said Lambros.

While the makeup of the task force is not known yet, Fraga said they discussed including members from specific boards, commissions and committees, the Board of Health and the Civil Rights Commission “to add perspective to what’s being discussed.”

“We want to cast a broad net and get a wide diversity of opinion,” said Niedergang. "There are no foregone conclusions. This is really a work in progress. We are going to look at facts, we are going to look at data and move forward.”

Fraga said it was important to have the conversation even though Princeton may not end up having a cannabis dispensary due to “limited licenses available.”

Meanwhile, police chief Christopher Morgan addressed the issue saying the department still hasn't “heard anything from the Attorney General’s office.”

Explaining the process, Morgan said that once marijuana has been legalized, the Attorney General will codify requirements for all of New Jersey. This will then trickle its way down to the county prosecutor’s office and then to law enforcement agencies.

“Once that comes through, (we will be) taking a look at our policies, the impacts that it is going to have within the police department, the community,” said Morgan.

The police chief said the department will also be putting out public service announcements to address the new law so that "everyone is well aware.”

New Jersey voters already approved a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana, which went into effect on Jan. 1.

In the November election, Mercer County voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana. According to official results, 71.25 percent residents voted in favor, and 28.75 percent opposed it.

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