A shore area state lawmaker is hoping to prevent New Jersey towns from adopting ordinances that ban medical marijuana cultivation centers from setting up shop.

13th District (R) Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon of Monmouth County says he plans to introduce a bill prohibiting counties and municipalities from interfering with the development of medicinal marijuana farms. "My legislation would grant what we call "right to farm" rights to medical marijuana. That would essentially mean that anyone cultivating this crop, which is legal in New Jersey, has the right to farm it."

However, there's one caveat. O'Scanlon says "in order to fall under the benefits of my legislation, the grower would essentially have to insure 24/7 manned security or another security plan approved by the municipality."

O'Scanlon says his measure would overturn local ordinances recently enacted in Plumsted and Upper Freehold Township's. He says "they would not be grandfathered and shouldn't be, partly because there's no rational basis for this hysterical fear because of a lot of misinformation."

The state lawmaker stresses that while he respects the local officials who enacted the ordinances banning marijuana cultivation centers because of their genuine concern for their communities, we have to provide a way to get Medicinal marijuana to those who desperately need it.

Even though New Jersey has a law allowing the use of Medical Marijuana, it's still in violation of Federal Laws. Rural Ocean And Monmouth County communities approved ordinances that would prohibit local zoning boards from considering applications from businesses that violate Federal laws.

More From 92.7 WOBM