A lot of local officials fear that if they allow anyone to grow or distribute medical marijuana in their town they will be breaking federal law. To prevent that, some municipalities are passing ordinances blocking pot farms and dispensaries. GOP Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon says he’ll sponsor a bill that would stop towns from using zoning laws or other measures to block participation in a medical marijuana program. The top Republican in New Jersey is not supporting O’Scanlon’s idea.

“I absolutely believe this should be determined by local, elected officials,” says Republican Governor Chris Christie. “If they want a dispensary or a growing facility in their town, that’s up to them. If they don’t, I will not, as Governor, force them to take one.”

Christie says the medical marijuana law signed by former Governor Jon Corzine was seriously flawed. He explains, “There was no thought given to what would happen if nobody wants to take these dispensaries or these farms to grow marijuana……I think it should tell the legislature a lot about the public’s attitude towards this if no municipality wants to take one.”

Critics have accused Christie of making regulations incredibly stringent in effort to stall the medical marijuana law. The Governor insists, “I will tell you very clearly; I will try to enforce the law and implement it, but I will not do it by forcing municipalities to take thse facilities.”

Christie was asked about O’Scanlon’s proposed legislation. The Governor said whether it’s a Democratic or Republican legislator suggesting that towns should be forced to participate, “If anybody sends a bill to my desk trying to force it down the throats of municipalities then it’s not going to be received well at my desk.”

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