Woodbridge: Only Our Existing Medical Pot Shop Can Sell Marijuana

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — At a time when many nearby towns are outright banning pot shops from opening, Woodbridge Twp. is taking a more nuanced approach: Allowing the existing medical marijuana business that's been open for several years on Rt. 1 to also sell marijuana for recreational use.

However, that will be the only store in town that will be allowed to sell recreational pot, said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac.

On June 1, the Woodbridge town Council introduced an ordinance that will allow Garden State Dispensary to do recreational marijuana sales. Garden State Dispensary can sell their marijuana to anyone, without need of a documented medical requirement. If the ordinance becomes law, no other pot shop can open in Woodbridge Township.

"We're a big town; I think it's appropriate we have one (marijuana business)," said McCormac on Friday. "But we don't want any more."

The ordinance was unanimously approved at its first reading June 1 and will be brought back up for a second reading and likely voted into law at the next Woodbridge Council meeting, which will be June 22. There will be an opportunity for public comment at that time.

Part of that ordinance also allows anyone to open a cultivation or weed grow business anywhere in Woodbridge that is zoned for manufacturing or industrial. There are many industrial zones in Woodbridge Twp.

"There are lots of spaces in town it can be grown or cultivated; it can be grown in a warehouse," said McCormac. "We just don't want it being grown next to houses, a school, a playground, things like that."

"With Amazon scooping up everything in sight, the warehouse space is so valuable right now I don't see it happening," he added, of the likelihood of a marijuana cultivation business opening up.

Back when marijuana was only approved for medical use in New Jersey, the state chose Woodbridge as one of six spots for a medical marijuana shop. Woodbridge, like all five other towns, had no say in the matter. Garden State Dispensary opened on Rt. 1 in 2013. In 2019, Garden State Dispensary opened this second location in Eatontown.

McCormac said there were some "hiccups" the first few weeks Garden State Dispensary opened: Neighboring Rt. 1 businesses complained to the town about a very strong marijuana smell coming from the store.

"Since then, it's been fine," said the mayor.

Just last week, the city of South Amboy said would be seeking to ban any and all marijuana shops/weed businesses from opening in town, including medical marijuana. Towns like Piscataway, Middletown, Bridgewater and Old Bridge have either discussed or passed similar pot shop bans.

However, other large Central Jersey towns, like Aberdeen, Edison and New Brunswick, have not discussed any type of ban.

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