EDITOR'S NOTE: Interested in the marijuana business industry? NJ Cannabis Insider is a new premium intelligence briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue.

Amani Toomer worked for years in East Rutherford as a star wide receiver for the New York Giants, but in retirement he's hoping to work in Fort Lee as a medical marijuana provider.

Toomer and an associate on Thursday night attended a meeting of the Fort Lee Borough Council, during which town leaders officially voiced support for a medical marijuana facility in the borough, according to a story from The Record of North Jersey that was confirmed by Fort Lee Borough Clerk Evelyn Rosario.

Toomer's group is looking to open a medical marijuana business in Fort Lee. The Record reported that Toomer is also involved in medical marijuana businesses in Colorado and Nevada.

The council didn't specifically endorse Toomer's company, just stated its support of a medical marijuana treatment center in the town. In a video posted by the Record, Toomer spoke to the council about why he thinks a dispensary would be a good move for Fort Lee.

"There are 72,000 deaths due to opioid overdoses," Toomer said, referring to a recent estimate made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Toomer also cited research done by a Harvard professor that indicates opioid prescriptions decrease in areas around dispensaries.

"That would be another issue that ... a way it helps you in Fort Lee to have a dispensary," he said.

Toomer's potential entry into New Jersey's medical marijuana industry comes as the state Department of Health has started accepting applications for up to six additional medical marijuana providers. There are currently six treatment centers already operating in the state. The sixth provider opened in nearby Secaucus in June.

The Health Department is expected to select finalists for the six new alternative treatment centers by November. There will be up to two providers selected for each of the northern, central and southern regions of the state.

Toomer is not the only New Jersey sports star to show interest in the Garden State for a marijuana business.

Orange-born basketball player Al Harrington, who played for the New York Knicks and other teams, owns a company called Viola Extracts, which makes marijuana extracts that are sold in dozens of stores out West. He also owns Harrington Wellness, which makes products from CBD, a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis and hemp plants.

In an interview earlier this year with Vice News, Harrington said he would like to operate in his home state.

"The first thing I started thinking about was how can I go back into my old community and try to uplift the community by bringing this industry there and creating jobs," Harrington said.

Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider.

Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Find NJ.com on Facebook.