West Milford officials wait to weigh in on legal weed policies, despite councilmen's push

WEST MILFORD — Two local elected officials are urging colleagues to join the growing conversation about expanding access to legalized recreational marijuana.

Not yet, they said in response.

Councilmen Lou Signorino and Michael Hensley voiced support for a planned discussion on a draft resolution to support the legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana for adult use in New Jersey in April.

Other council members approved the discussion. The topic, though, has since fallen off the council’s to-do list, officials said.

“When there is a better understanding of the direction that may be forthcoming from our state legislators, we will probably bring the matter back to the dais,” said Antoinette Battaglia, township administrator.

Signorino and Hensley said they understand hesitance to get involved in a potentially politically charged topic before a contested Republican primary, but they are nonetheless opposed to the delay. The topic is not going away, Hensley said.

“I kind of find it perplexing,” he said. “It’s not a responsible action by the council, the governing body or the administration to handle it in this way. I think it’s an inevitable discussion, so we may as well have an open and intelligent debate.”

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Gov. Phil Murphy expanded the qualifications for the state’s medical marijuana program in March in what many viewed as a precursor to state legislation to legalize recreational marijuana use by adults. In June, state lawmakers are expected to introduce a bill that would make the drug legal for anyone in New Jersey over the age of 21.

Some North Jersey towns reacted to previously introduced legislation and recent progress by launching bans of retail marijuana sales or implementing other regulations to set the stage for how recreational marijuana sales are regulated on the local level.

In Garfield and Hasbrouck Heights, lawmakers banned the sale of marijuana in their municipalities. Officials in Mahwah, Oakland and Wallington have also moved to ban recreational marijuana retail businesses in their communities.

Jersey City, Maywood and Ramsey officials have announced their intent to restrict marijuana businesses to specific areas through zoning regulations.

Michael Chazukow submitted the sample resolution from New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform backing legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana for West Milford council review.

A perennial Libertarian candidate for Township Council and an outreach director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws' New Jersey chapter, Chazukow said a robust conversation on marijuana policy is needed. One of the council’s goals, reducing the prevalence of opiate addictions in the community, could be helped by the advancement of legalization policies, he said.

“I’m appalled by the silence of the council,” Chazukow said. “The community is talking about it.”

Hensley, who is in his last year on the council, said the township has missed opportunities in the past. He pushed for the council to adopt the sample resolution backing marijuana legalization in April.

“I’d like to not see West Milford sit on the sidelines for this topic and have the courage to help shape the policy in the state,” he said.

Hensley said officials would be shortsighted to rule out potential new businesses or the chance to allow residents to safely self-medicate, while avoiding more addictive and deadly drugs. He said he expects the topic to resurface in the coming months.

Whether or not legal marijuana in New Jersey receives formal council support, however, remains uncertain. Tim Wagner, council president, previously told The Record and NorthJersey.com that he would not support recreational marijuana sales in the community.

“I’m not in favor of anything that makes it easier for the kids in our community to get their hands on marijuana,” he said.