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Brick Council Says Residents Voted for Legal Weed, So They Will Allow Cannabis Shops
Oct 19, 2026
BRICK, NJ — The Brick Township Council voted 6–1 to advance an ordinance allowing one recreational cannabis dispensary, with Councilman Cohen casting the lone opposing vote after questioning the proposal’s financial benefits and impact on the community.
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Brick Township is moving forward with a
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new plan to allow a marijuana dispensary
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license to sell cannabis products. The
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council voted 6 to1 to advance an
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ordinance allowing one recreational
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cannabis dispensary with Councilman Greg
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Cohen casting the lone opposing vote
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after questioning the proposal's
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financial benefits and impact on the
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community. To start with, you know, it's
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pretty ironic that we are um just
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authorized shared service agreement with
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OSHA County for drug recognition experts
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on a callout program and we're going to
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now allow cannabis to be freely sold in
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our township. I think that is utterly
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ridiculous.
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>> The township says the marijuana
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dispensary could be a revenue generator
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for the community, saying it could
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collect upwards of $200,000 annually
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through a 2% local tax on retail sales.
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The ordinance also establishes a $10,000
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initial licensing fee and a $5,000
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annual renewal fee.
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>> Going to authorize one single license
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for a class 5 cannabis retailer to
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operate within Brick Township. It
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establishes licensing and tax
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requirements and it attends or sorry
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amends the zoning to establish a limited
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set of approved locations in both the
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business and hospital support zones. But
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there are some rules and guidelines that
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are being set. Uh the first is that the
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approved retailer must be at least 1,000
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ft from all schools, daycare centers,
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and houses of worship.
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>> As your elected representative and
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because what you think is critically
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important, I conducted a sample survey
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knocking on more than 300 doors,
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including a number of our senior
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communities. Let's talk about the
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results. greater than 60% said yes to a
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dispensary in Britain.
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>> During public comment, Carlos Elmaznar
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of Tom's River described himself as a
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local cannabis entrepreneur, supported
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allowing dispensaries, but urged
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officials to issue two licenses instead
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of one.
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>> This uh cannabis business while back a
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while back I'm
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>> I'm going to allow you to continue, but
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I just want to interrupt. Nobody else
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has to pitch us on their cannabis
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business tonight, but go ahead. Well,
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>> Al-Maznar is a high-profile speaker at
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Tom's River Township council meetings.
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He has been railing against the
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administration of Mayor Dan Rodri since
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that town banned cannabis sales. The
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measure will be read for a second and
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final vote at the next council meeting
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where the council is expected to pass
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the ordinance, bringing the township its
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first marijuana dispensary.
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>> But one license is giving somebody a
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monopoly and that that to me is odd.
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That should just been an open license o
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request and the limit to just very few
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zones. I don't support that either. That
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should have been around the town. These
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are no worse than liquor stores. The
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bars are much worse as you know. You can
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drink there and whatever. For more news,
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visit us at shornewsetwork.com
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or follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram,
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Tik Tok, and YouTube at Shore News NJ.
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