RAKING IN THE CANNABIS REVENUE

Township made $130,000 from pot dispensaries in 2024

At the April 14, 2025 Council meeting, divergent views on legal weed were apparent. A new ordinance allowing a delivery service for a retail dispensary drew multiple residents to comment. Clerk Sherry Marnell told residents to think of the ordinance as allowing a cannabis “Grub Hub”.

Residents Maurine Taylor-Ford, David Villalba and Jeff Eversmeyer spoke in opposition to the ordinance.

Mr. Eversmeyer said that his voter outreach in the last municipal election encountered many residents who said Mount Holly is “saturated” with cannabis businesses. Eversmeyer and Villalba said Mount Holly is known as the pot hub in surrounding communities. A review of Google Maps reveals that many other nearby towns host pot dispensaries, but Mt. Holly is by far the most welcoming to those businesses.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Patrick Gaughan, the owner of Gonzo Glass on Mill Street and an employee of Phula dispensary on High Street spoke in support of the ordinance saying dispensaries have not caused pot use on the streets, have filled formerly vacant store fronts and draw in customers who patronize other businesses like restaurants.

Mike Novembre, a partner in “Mass Grown” dispensary at 34 Mill Street explained that the ordinance would actually reduce traffic since they only fulfil orders from the previous day that come in from all over the state. So, it’s a single vehicle going out, not a number of vehicles coming back and forth.

Jeff Eversmeyer asked Council what revenue benefit Mount Holly realized from the cannabis sales in 2024. Township manager Josh Brown said $130,000.

The Mount Holly Reporter’s informal survey of residents reveals that most are not strongly opposed to the legalization of recreational use. Those who are somewhat opposed believe that there may be adverse societal outcomes not previously contemplated by legislators. This is somewhat balanced against fairly uniform belief that incarceration for use is destructive and a waste of law enforcement resources.

One quote from resident Nancy Jones neatly summed up the sentiments expressed by many who were unwilling to be quoted but opposed to indiscriminate public use of cannabis:

"I smell it everywhere. I smell it driving down the road, I smell it at a stop light. I smell it getting on an elevator in a hospital. And I think, "What the heck? Is everybody around me stoned?" I'm all for legalizing marijuana, but I think we have a problem, because the effects have not been studied. There is no equivalent to a blood alcohol lever for drivers and for people making important decisions."

Nancy Jones, age 63, Mt Holly

The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote.