Wyckoff Committee Bans The Sale Of Marijuana In Town

WYCKOFF, NJ — Marijuana may not be sold in town due to a change in the law approved by the Township Committee this week.

The ordinance, which supplements the town's existing zoning codes, prohibits the sale of marijuana, its derivatives, and related paraphernalia. Marijuana that is prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a license pharmacist may still be sold.

The law change has the support of the police department and planning board, authorities said.

The Township Committee approved the change 4-0.

Township Committeeman Timothy Shanley, the father of three young children and a baseball coach, said the ban is necessary, “to protect the township's children from exposure to the negative influences that will likely arise from the retail sale of marijuana in our town.

"If the legislature makes pot legal, we don't want it sold in retail establishments in our town," Shanley said. "I believe we can protect our neighborhoods by prohibiting the retail sale of marijuana in our town."

Commiteeman Thomas Madigan agreed.

“We wanted to take preventive action before someone began investing in setting up a shop to sell marijuana in town,” said Madigan. “Retail marijuana sales are likely to bring with it an element of the drug culture that will not fit our community and could cause crime problems."

Mayor Brian Scanlan, who wasn't at the meeting, seemed to offer support for the policy although it's not clear how he would have voted.

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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