QUESTIONS REMAIN ON SOUTH JERSEY MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY

CAMDEN -- On any number of corners, in any corner of Camden City,
you'll find a place to or find someone who knows where to buy
marijuana. The practice is illegal, but a move to allow the legal
growth, cultivation and production of marijuana products in multiple
forms received an initial rejection from the city Monday night.

Camden's Zoning Board of Adjustment deemed a zoning designation of
"office light industrial" for two buildings in an area off of Federal
Street and Newton Avenue does not include cannabis production.

The OLI zoning includes provisions for professional offices,
restaurants and wholesaling and storage of goods. The question was
whether growing marijuana and converting it into usable forms falls
under guidelines for light industrial operation.

"We're being asked to consider a use that is something that's not
recognized in any of the zones in the City of Camden, let alone the
OLI zone," explained zoning board attorney James Burns.

The state has already legalized the substance for medicinal purposes,
allowing six nonprofit groups selected by the New Jersey Department
of Health and Senior Services to grow and dispense medical marijuana.

A push by Mount Laurel-based Compassionate Care Foundation Inc. to
place a growing and production facility in Westampton was rejected by
its Land Development Board earlier this month.

That board rejected a zoning appeal and then denied a request for a
use variance.

Monday in Camden, the group asked for only an interpretation on
what's permitted.

"We needed to start somewhere," explained attorney John Calzaretto,
who presented a case for the owner of the buildings, developer Ilan Zaken.

"The buildings are within a certain zone so we have to see whether
it's a permitted use in the zone to see whether or not we have to ask
for a variance. All that does is give us a clear path of what we need
to do now."

Compassionate Care Foundation CEO William Thomas said the marijuana,
which would be grown hydroponically in a secure, guarded area by
qualified professionals, is meant for patients suffering from chronic
pain. Cancer and HIV/AIDS patients, he said, benefit from the drug by
restoring their appetite.

"The New Jersey law specifically requires us to engineer the product
so it will not get you euphoric," Thomas said. "It takes that
property out of the drug. You get a mild high from taking it, but
it's the same thing if you had a Red Bull or a Budweiser."

East Camden resident Thomas Rapacki Jr. wasn't about to write off the
marijuana facility right away, but declared it's worth looking at,
cautiously. About 50 jobs could be brought in as a result.

"If this is done correctly, we may be able to draw a line in the sand
and not cross over it and make it work by having fees toward the city
and guaranteed employment," Rapacki said. "We need vetting of the
people that are behind it all, vetting of the employees and ongoing
and continual examination of what's going on."

Feb. 6 is the next zoning board meeting and at that time variances
allowing for production and dispensing will be considered. Expert
testimony is expected to be delivered as well.

"This is a new law that is currently being interpreted by a lot of
people. I must say people with a lot more knowledge of what would be
occurring with this type of process than we have before us right now
to be able to make an informed decision," Burns said.