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The Mount Laurel Township Council heard a proposal for a medical marijuana distribution center in the town. The council made no definitive vote on the matter, but it did move the proposal forward for more research.
A New Jersey non-profit organization called Compassionate Sciences brought the proposal to the council. Under the proposed plan, the facility, referred to by the state as an "alternative treatment center" (ATC), would be located on Fellowship Road in the industrial complex, though this location is not definite and is still subject to zoning approval. It is estimated, based on population, that the ATC would service about 1,000 patients throughout the South Jersey area. The 10,000-square-foot facility Compassionate Sciences has asked for would be both an agricultural center and a medical center. This means that the ATC would grow and manufacture marijuana in house and sell it in the same building.
According to the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which was signed into law by former Gov. Jon Corzine on his last day in office, medical marijuana may be prescribed by a doctor in cases where a "debilitating medical condition" exists, such as cancer or glaucoma, or any other condition that is approved by the state Department of Health and Senior Services.
Doctors who prescribe medical marijuana must be registered to do so with the state, and the patients who receive the product must be registered with a specific ATC in their area.
The Compassionate Use Act authorized the creation of six ATCs throughout the state, with two each in the north, central and southern portions of New Jersey. So far, two other ATCs have been approved; one in Egg Harbor in the southern region, and one in Montclair to the north. Resistance to the establishment of ATCs has come from some local towns, where officials have been reluctant to give approval to the facilities.
In Mount Laurel, security concerns were the major objections to the proposed ATC. Councilwoman Lynn Solomon said that the proposed location on Fellowship Road was a high traffic, higher crime area and that it was not a good idea to "push it further" by putting a potential magnet for crimes such as theft in the area. Compassionate Sciences did not have a detailed security plan ready for the township to examine, but said they would employ guards "24/7" and security cameras as part of their security operation.
Council members were also concerned about the message a medical marijuana facility would send to the youth in the town. Councilman Dave D'Antonio, aware of the drug abuse problems occurring in high schools in the area, said he thought a medical marijuana facility would send the message to the youth that "Mount Laurel is open for business," meaning that marijuana is acceptable to use. Future changes in the state law concerned Mayor Jim Keenan and Deputy Mayor Linda Bobo, who both expressed concerns that possible relaxations of restrictions in the Compassionate Use Act could turn the proposed ATC into an operation the council was not comfortable with. Specifically, the possibility that the state Department of Health and Senior Services would broaden the definition of a "debilitating medical condition" to make marijuana accessible to many people gave the council pause.
The council decided to do further research by looking into zoning requirements, security concerns and the legal issues surrounding medical marijuana in New Jersey. The issue will be revisited at a later date.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: southjerseylocalnews.com
Author: Edward Wiest
Contact: South Jersey Local News - Latest News, Sports, Opinion, Entertainment, Business, Life
Website: Medical marijuana facility proposed for Mount Laurel - Medford Central Record - South Jersey Local News
A New Jersey non-profit organization called Compassionate Sciences brought the proposal to the council. Under the proposed plan, the facility, referred to by the state as an "alternative treatment center" (ATC), would be located on Fellowship Road in the industrial complex, though this location is not definite and is still subject to zoning approval. It is estimated, based on population, that the ATC would service about 1,000 patients throughout the South Jersey area. The 10,000-square-foot facility Compassionate Sciences has asked for would be both an agricultural center and a medical center. This means that the ATC would grow and manufacture marijuana in house and sell it in the same building.
According to the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which was signed into law by former Gov. Jon Corzine on his last day in office, medical marijuana may be prescribed by a doctor in cases where a "debilitating medical condition" exists, such as cancer or glaucoma, or any other condition that is approved by the state Department of Health and Senior Services.
Doctors who prescribe medical marijuana must be registered to do so with the state, and the patients who receive the product must be registered with a specific ATC in their area.
The Compassionate Use Act authorized the creation of six ATCs throughout the state, with two each in the north, central and southern portions of New Jersey. So far, two other ATCs have been approved; one in Egg Harbor in the southern region, and one in Montclair to the north. Resistance to the establishment of ATCs has come from some local towns, where officials have been reluctant to give approval to the facilities.
In Mount Laurel, security concerns were the major objections to the proposed ATC. Councilwoman Lynn Solomon said that the proposed location on Fellowship Road was a high traffic, higher crime area and that it was not a good idea to "push it further" by putting a potential magnet for crimes such as theft in the area. Compassionate Sciences did not have a detailed security plan ready for the township to examine, but said they would employ guards "24/7" and security cameras as part of their security operation.
Council members were also concerned about the message a medical marijuana facility would send to the youth in the town. Councilman Dave D'Antonio, aware of the drug abuse problems occurring in high schools in the area, said he thought a medical marijuana facility would send the message to the youth that "Mount Laurel is open for business," meaning that marijuana is acceptable to use. Future changes in the state law concerned Mayor Jim Keenan and Deputy Mayor Linda Bobo, who both expressed concerns that possible relaxations of restrictions in the Compassionate Use Act could turn the proposed ATC into an operation the council was not comfortable with. Specifically, the possibility that the state Department of Health and Senior Services would broaden the definition of a "debilitating medical condition" to make marijuana accessible to many people gave the council pause.
The council decided to do further research by looking into zoning requirements, security concerns and the legal issues surrounding medical marijuana in New Jersey. The issue will be revisited at a later date.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: southjerseylocalnews.com
Author: Edward Wiest
Contact: South Jersey Local News - Latest News, Sports, Opinion, Entertainment, Business, Life
Website: Medical marijuana facility proposed for Mount Laurel - Medford Central Record - South Jersey Local News
