Special Meeting On Cannabis In Princeton Tuesday

PRINCETON, NJ – The day is almost here. Council will host the much-anticipated special meeting on Tuesday to discuss cannabis dispensaries in town.

In November last year, Princeton’s Cannabis Task Force recommended three medical and adult-use retail dispensaries in town. But this faced pushback from residents who called for stronger zoning restrictions.

All marijuana retailers in Princeton will be subject to zoning restrictions similar to alcohol stores — at least 200 feet from schools, the CTF recommended.

Petitioners said that having dispensaries near schools, playgrounds, and residential neighborhoods, was "in violation of U.S. Federal law and common sense." Federal law requires a buffer of 1,000 feet for any cannabis dispensaries situated near schools.

Princeton Public Schools also weighed in on the matter, releasing a "position statement," requesting Council to enforce "a buffer of 1,000 feet for any cannabis dispensaries" situated near schools.

Tuesday’s meeting will see presentations from Chris Goldstein, of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), a non-profit organization that advocates for the reform of marijuana laws.

Victor DeLuca, Deputy Mayor of Maplewood will also be making a presentation, according to the agenda posted on the township website. In January, Maplewood started accepting applications for local cannabis business licenses.

Matt Bellace, Dr. Aaron Weiner and Will Jones will also be presenting. Members of the municipal staff are also expected to present their reports.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. After all the presentations are done, the floor will open for public comment. Each speaker will be given three minutes to speak.

The meeting will be run by Mayor Mark Freda who will recognize the speakers. To join the meeting, click here.

During the November 2020 election, Mercer County voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana. According to official results, 71.25 percent of residents voted in favor of legalizing cannabis.

The Cannabis Task Force was set up the following year to discuss issues related to legalization. Councilwoman Eve Niedergang chairs the CTF. After over seven months of research, discussion and public meetings, the CTF recommended that Council pass an ordinance allowing three retail dispensaries in town.

The Council is not expected to take any specific action on Tuesday. Instead, they'll revisit the issue at a later date to determine the next steps.

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