Glen Rock To Ban Marijuana Businesses, But Could Change Course

GLEN ROCK, NJ — The Borough Council will impose a ban on marijuana businesses, but has promised to keep tabs on the industry as it develops across the state.

Mayor Kristine Morieko said she was in favor of an opt-out currently due to the lack of clarity when it comes to regulations, something that even the Cannabis Regulatory Commission admitted to at their first meeting. Read more: NJ Marijuana Updates: A First Step Toward Legal Weed Sales

"I think it would be prudent of us to look out for the best interests of our residents in putting the brakes on this," said Morieko. "Let's wait and see on this. There's so many unknowns."

Council member Teresa Gilbreath even said that she would push for cannabis businesses in Glen Rock eventually.

"I believe it's the right thing for Glen Rock to have retailers, I just think it's too soon for us to do it because we don't know what the rules are," she said.

Council members will review the matter every 90 days after the state releases their regulations, they said.

The board tasked with regulating the state's cannabis industry met for the first time in April, and Executive Director Jeff Brown admitted that municipal bans were a challenge for the newly formed board.

But Brown asked municipalities considering bans to pump the brakes until they speak with the commission.

"A municipal ban doesn't necessarily ban cannabis from that municipality, it just bans our ability to regulate an industry there," he said.

But there's a time limit to how long towns have to consider.

When New Jersey legalized marijuana in February, a stipulation of the new law allows municipalities to consider banning marijuana businesses, but doesn't allow them to use old ordinances to do so. So towns across the state have 180 days from Feb. 22 to draft new ones.

So Morieko sees opting out early as a middle ground.

Glen Rock can hypothetically remove their ban at any moment, allowing businesses to come in once the industry is more established. But if they were to allow it now, they'd have to wait five years before they had another chance to impose a ban on businesses.

Though it can stop businesses from opening, the ordinance can't restrict the use of medical marijuana in the township, and it cannot limit the use of recreational marijuana, or marijuana delivery, under the new law. Read more: Marijuana Is Legal In NJ. But Can Towns Still Ban It?

Watch the full council meeting here:

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