Medical Marijuana Gets Go-Ahead; Fate of Manalapan ATC Unknown

Gov. Chris Christie announced Tuesday, July 19 that the state can immediately work towards dispensing medical marijuana within six areas of the state, one of which may be located in Manalapan Township. 

Breakwater Alternative Treatment Center, Corp. was granted the application by the state to run a legally-sanctioned medicinal marijuana facility in mid-March of this year. 

The other non-profit growers and sellers approved by the state will be located in New Brunswick, Bellmawr, Secaucus, Montclair, and one more in either Burlington or Camden County. 

The initiative was put on hold in May so the governor could clarify whether legally-sanctioned sellers within the state could face federal prosecution for growing marijuana. On Tuesday, Christie said that he did not get assurance that federal prosecutors will not bring action against the alternative treatment centers (ATC), but he said he did not think federal authorities would pursue those following the laws of the state. 

“I don’t believe the United States Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, given the narrow and medically based nature of our program will expend what are significantly lessening federal law enforcement resources in the context of the federal budget, on going after dispensaries in New Jersey, our Department of Health or other state workers who are helping to implement this program,” Christie said. He then said that he has not spoken to the United States Attorney and has received no indication of what approach he may take.

Nevertheless, Christie reiterated that he does not believe the dispensaries will be a target and that as long as they operate “within the law as it’s been regulated by this administration and promulgated through statue by the Legislature and Governor Corzine they will not be susceptible to federal prosecution.”

The law legalizing the growing of marijuana and selling it as an alternative form of medicine to the extremely sick was signed by Gov. Jon Corzine on the last day he held office. Christie has pushed back implementing the law until he had a fully vetted understanding of how the state could properly regulate it. 

Christie assured the state that the program will be highly monitored, which is why only six areas were chosen to have ATC’s. “That’s the reason we did the regulatory scheme we did at the time, not as a way to kill the program but as a way to implement the program, because in the end my desire all along has been to bring compassionate care to the people who need it the most and not to play politics with this issue,” Christie said. 

Christie ordered the Department of Health for the state of New Jersey to reach out to the six dispensaries and encourage them to get up and running as soon as possible. Where that leaves Manalapan’s possible future ATC is unknown.

Health Officer of Manalapan Township’s Health Department, David Richardson, is unsure of what will happen next. “The whole issue was moved off to the side while the State re-assessed the program.  We will be trying to find out the status of the proposed Manalapan dispensary over the next few days,” Richardson said. 

Nevertheless, before the ATC in Manalapan was pulled off the table the township had planned on holding a public forum on the issue so that the community can better understand the purpose of the facility, how it operates, and the building's security plans. 

The property on Rt. 33 where the facility is planned to be located is not zoned for the proposed use, and Breakwater Alternative Treatment Center, Corp. will have to meet in front of the Zoning Board in order to request a variance; this would necessitate a public hearing. 

“There will be plenty of opportunities for residents to have public input into this application,” Mayor Andrew Lucas said at a . It appears that the community will still have a chance to speak their mind about the possibility of an ATC within the township.