The Hoboken City Council passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of the lawsuit against Blue Violets cannabis dispensary and the Planning Board by perennial city council candidate Elizabeth Urtecho and her interest group “Hoboken for Responsible Cannabis.”
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This is a good example of the challenges facing many similar local, minority, and women cannabis entrepreneurs.
The resolution notes Urtecho is running with 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who is running for Mayor, and calls on Fisher to support the withdrawal.
Blue Violets won the appeal of the initial decision. However, Urtecho and her group have appealed to the NJ Supreme Court, before which the matter is pending.
Urtecho and Fisher have taken an anti-cannabis stance since 2022* when they spearheaded the ordinance restricting cannabis dispensaries* in a reactionary witch hunt, which caused the micro, Asian woman-owned mom and pop business* Blue Violets so much trouble.
Blue Violets Cannabis Dispensary Defends Turf
“Thank you for highlighting this issue and urging for the right thing to be done,” Blue Violets co-owner Lauren Thompson said during the Council’s public comment period.
She noted they have been open for about a year and a half.
“It’s been hard enough to start a small business here in Hoboken, let alone trying to operate, let alone trying to thrive, let alone with a lawsuit that is continuing to loom over my head,” Thompson explained to applause.
“This relates to litigation that should end, and it calls on the parties who are suing Blue Violets and the Planning Board to drop the case,” sponsor and 5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen explained. “We can’t force anyone to do anything.”
“It’s crystal clear they’re legally allowed to operate there,” he declared regarding their legal case.*
“They also happen to be an excellent business,” Cohen said. “There are no concerns about their operations.”
He noted that a two percent sales tax on purchases goes to the city.
“Let them run their business,” Cohen added.
“It’s time to do what’s right and stop the lawsuit. Let this business thrive in the city of Hoboken,” 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo noted.
He noted that other small local businesses struggle greatly as well.
Russo explained he co-sponsored the resolution.
“I’m the last person who likes lawsuits,” 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos said. “However, we’re asking a citizen to waive their rights to pursue whatever legal action they want to pursue.”
He did not think that was proper to do so.
It passed 4-3-1 with Fisher, 1st Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano, and Ramos voting no, and Council President Jim Doyle abstaining.
Cannabis as an Election Issue
Ramos and At Large Councilwoman Emily Jabour, who are running for Mayor, backed Fisher’s anti-cannabis ordinance in 20022.
They have since flipped their positions. Both have now said that the law was too burdensome on the Blue Violets cannabis dispensary in a recent resolution the Council passed.
Russo has been the most consistently pro-cannabis among those running for Mayor.
Fifth Ward Councilman Phil Cohen is sponsoring the resolution.
Cohen is backing Jabour, who is running for Mayor to succeed Bhalla, who is running for Assembly.
No Cannabis Discussion in Governor’s Race
Neither Democrat Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill nor former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciatrelli has brought up cannabis policy while campaigning to be the next NJ Governor in the election next month.
Mail-in ballots of already been sent out to voters.
The election has focused more on global inflation hitting home, national utilities companies gouging consumers, and President Donald Trump’s policies. It has gotten vicious. They debated last night, and Sherrill accused Ciatrelli of profiting off the opioid crisis, which has killed thousands of people.
During the primary, Sherrill endorsed homegrow legalization with “common-sense regulations, safeguards, and limits.” Ciatrelli repeated an old false dichotomy of protecting the market versus homegrow to the NJ Monitor that has stalled it, while the market hit a billion dollars last year in Jersey.
However, Ciatrelli has made several anti-cannabis remarks in the past.
The election is getting national attention.
