NJ marijuana: 4 things to know about legal weed in Asbury Park

ASBURY PARK — Asbury Park may be poised to become the "legal weed capital" of New Jersey. But before it gets there it will have to have marijuana dispensaries. It's one of only two cities in the state that has signaled it would welcome the dispensaries if legislators sign a marijuana legalization bill.

1. The mayor has already taken meetings with business owners interested in dispensaries, but he's limiting them.

John Moor has had more than a dozen meetings with prospective marijuana dispensary owners. However, the demand has become so overwhelming that he's now limiting meetings to people who live on the Jersey Shore.

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"Until the state decides something, I'll meet with people if they're local, but as far as California or Las Vegas or Florida I'm only talking to the locals,” Moor said earlier this month.

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"Until the state passes something, we’re getting a little cart before the horse," Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said on Thursday.

2. Part of the appeal for prospective legal weed dispensary owners is the cultural diversity of the city.

Asbury Park is considered one of the most progressive and diverse cities in New Jersey. The city has some of the largest LGBT and minority populations on the Jersey Shore and is known for its arts and entertainment scene.

"There's people excited to try all of these things," said Kareem Elhamasy, co-owner of Pipe Dreams Smoke Shop, in Asbury Park. Elhamasy and his business partner hope to obtain a retail license at their shop, which sells ancillary cannabis-related products including rolling papers, water pipes and vaporizers.

You can see a video above of Elhamasy explaining why he thinks Asbury Park will be a successful venue for a marijuana dispensary.

3. The city's small land area may limit the number of marijuana dispensaries allowed

Any marijuana legalization law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy state will likely prohibit legal weed dispensaries from operating within close proximity to schools and churches. That will make it difficult finding a location for a dispensary in Asbury Park, a city that is only 1.4 square miles.

Moor has stressed the city isn't ready to consider any zoning regulations it might impose on the businesses until Trenton passes legislation. Moor has said he's also adamant that any marijuana legalization laws should prohibit public consumption.

"It seems in the best case scenario there will be like one or two shops," Elhamasy said.

4. It's unclear what the effect of marijuana dispensaries will be on the city's economy, but signs point to increased revenue.

Bill Caruso, an attorney who sits on the board of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, one of the state's leading advocacy groups for marijuana legalization, said legal weed could help the economically depressed west side of Asbury Park.

"What you're going to see is entrepreneurship coming out of those communities," Caruso said.

"There are different communities around the country, where there have been depressed areas that are on the verge of rebounding, and these types of facilities fit into the equation."

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Peter S. Reinhart, director of the Kislak Real Estate Institute at Monmouth University, said it's too early to tell what affect weed dispensaries may have on the real estate market.

He said some localities in Colorado have chained some of the tax revenues of cannabis sales to affordable housing, which he saw as intriguing for an area like Asbury Park, where affordable housing is in slim supply.

"That’s a very interesting political and economic decision that the town has to make," Reinhart said.

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com