This kind of exchange between the Councilmembers and their Constituents is exactly what we need here in Teaneck.

Unfortunately, the primary topic of the G&W exchange – legal Cannabis – is complex, confusing, has a history of illegality, is new and unknown in Teaneck, and is cloaked in high emotions.

How did we get here? In the November 2020 election, legalization won the approval of voters in 562 of 565 municipalities in New Jersey. When Governor Murphy signed the legislation in February 2021 to legalize recreational cannabis in New Jersey, municipalities were given 180 days to decide between two choices:

·       Opt-in, in which case the municipality committed itself to supporting at least 1 of the 6 cannabis activities now legal. The key “pressure point” of the Opt-in alternative is that it requires an Opt-in municipality to continue to operate the cannabis industry for 5 years. NO WAY OUT.

·       Opt-out, the choice of the majority of NJ municipalities allows an Opt-out municipality to enter the cannabis industry at any time. For many municipalities’ leaders this choice made the most sense. It would allow them to research other towns and states that were operating legalized cannabis activities, assess their residents’ feelings and preferences, and write their own ordinances and regulations.

·       Despite this overwhelming evidence of recreational marijuana support, many local governments chose to opt out. Only 80 municipalities (14+%of the 565 municipalities) opted-in by the State deadline in 2021.

·       So 80 municipalities, of which Teaneck is 1, are now required to deal with recreational cannabis for 5 years. The other 485 municipalities will enter the cannabis industry if and when they are ready.

TEANECK’S PREVIOUS COUNCIL DECIDED TO OPT-IN TO BRING IN THE 2% TAX MONIES THAT THE STATE LAW ALLOWS

 So Teaneck’s present Council was presented with a fait accompli! They have no choice but to deal with it. And Teaneck no longer has an option to opt out!

Teaneck Voices Considerations:

·       We the residents, teachers, students, merchants, Council, its administration, Board of Education, and its administration need to know what is happening in municipalities in the states that have been operating under legalized recreational laws and regulations.

·       This same group needs to know and understand the federal laws and regulations that can supersede state law and thus control the municipal cannabis industry

·     For instance, at present NJ State Regulations do not specify distance of marijuana facility from a school. However, federal law requires any cannabis facility to adhere to federal Drug-Free Zone Regulations, where 1000 feet is required in the state of NJ.

·       Teaneck Voices suggests the Manager1) assemble a Cannabis Inquiry Task Force, made up of representatives from each of the above groups, to gather anecdotal information from their peers in municipalities in states like Colorado, 2) establish a firm time line and due date (perhaps a month hence) when the Task Force will present its findings at a Special Joint Council and Board of Education Meeting, 3) Council then should conduct a Cannabis a policy-making meeting in a public workshop session.

Teaneck Voices has begun the anecdotal research by conducting a brief interview with a 51-year-old teacher with over 20 years of experience who teaches in a bi-lingual Middle School in Boulder, Colorado. Here it is:

            Q.       NJ has legalized cannabis and Teaneck has opted-in to enter the industry. Parents are very anxious about the impact on their kids. As a middle-school teacher, what are your thoughts and experiences with its impact on kids in Colorado?

A.       Our experience in Boulder has been mixed. I would say that legalizing marijuana made it lose some of the taboo so more people (kids included) are doing it. It wasn’t catastrophic, but I have some concerns. One of the biggest challenges is the rise of vaping. Kids can easily smoke marijuana or tobacco without the give-away smell, using easily hidden devices. I’d recommend focusing on controls on edibles (because the dosage can be so easily misjudged and because the products can easily fall into the hands of children) and on THC vaping products.

           Q.       I seem to remember that you initially had concern as a teacher that you would not be able to tell if a kid had psychological problems or had taken in marijuana. Any of that come to pass?

A.       Hard to say. I’d say that because we can observe kids over time, we have a pretty clear idea of when behaviors shift in an unnatural way. But kids who are often out of control or who might be using THC regularly – it can be impossible to tell. And with vaping, we’d basically have to make them take a drug test. I mean Covid changed everything, I have so many kids with such high anxiety and other psychological issues. The biggest concern is that they will use marijuana to cope and never learn healthy coping mechanisms.

There is no doubt that however much research and however many work sessions are conducted, there will remain individuals and groups who are not satisfied with the policy decisions. That is the way of Representative Democracy,

But like it or not, we in Teaneck are stuck with recreational marijuana for at least 5 years. We need well-planned policies, that are inclusive, enforceable, equitable, and responsive to our diverse population. We must hope that we will then be able to allow both medical and recreational marijuana to be produced, manufactured and dispensed safely with strong, appropriate controls.