Cannabis Has Been Very Beneficial For Community, Says Mayor Of Plainfield New Jersey: 'We Are Open For Business'

"This [cannabis ] has been great for the city of Plainfield, great for the state of New Jersey," Plainfield’s mayor Adrian O. Mapp told attendees at the recent Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight on Monday in New Jersey. Despite the stigma attached to the industry, Mapp says legalization and regulation have been very beneficial for the community. He especially highlighted the social justice aspect among people of color who were disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs and now have the opportunity to get a job in the industry and make a decent living for their families.

"And it’s also about the revenue, the 2%," that is used to support the community. "That’s a stream of revenue that continues to flow in the city," the Mayor told Susanna Puntel Short, a cannabis industry consultant at PLH Sciences.

"Plainfield is open for business. We are doing exceptionally well with a plethora of developers knocking at our doors to come and invest in Plainfield,” said Mapp, who is in his third consecutive term as mayor and is running for a fourth. "We are invested in recreational spaces across the city, and there’s something in Plainfield for everyone. So we are a very invited open and welcoming community. And again, we’re open for business.”

Local Control Is Essential

Under the New Jersey cannabis law, municipalities can opt in or out of hosting cannabis licenses as well as the time and place of new cannabis businesses. Short asked Mayor if local control is an important feature of New Jersey's cannabis program and why.

"Well, I do believe that local control is absolutely essential," Mapp said. He believes there's no one better to determine what's right and what's best for your town than your elected leader and the people who live there. "And, it comes with some ups and downs, but I think generally speaking, the legislature made the right decision to place that control at the local municipal level."

That's how Plainfield did it. "We placed a referendum on the ballot to involve the residents and make sure that this would have the blessings of the people who live in our city. We received a 78% support in favor of the industry."

This resident’s support allowed the city leaders to move full steam ahead. "And we made it very easy, very smooth for folks that were interested to come to us and express their interests in participating in Plainfield," the Mayor shared. He further highlighted that one of the best things the city did was not allowing "zoning to zone the industry out of our city. I think that's one of the mistakes that many communities have made."

Sponsoring Local Events, Providing Jobs

Short added that "Plainfield has been a leader, not just in hosting cannabis businesses, but also in addressing this issue of the unregulated hemp intoxicants."

The mayor followed up by saying the city was very proactive wanting to close those illegal shops because they were not getting those 2% revenue to support the community. "I think that it was about time that the state stepped in and put some more guardrails so that we don’t see the growth of these workshops."

Mayor Mapp concluded that cannabis businesses can and should do a number of things that are good for the community. For example, they can sponsor local community events, such as concerts, but also host job fairs. The best thing cannabis businesses should do is provide jobs, he said but also cautioned about not over-saturating the market.

See Also: The Road To Legal Cannabis: Unpacking Three Pillars For Success

Photo Credit: Corynn Egreczky