Voters in Lacey Township chose to ban the sale and growing of recreational marijuana.

With around a 650 vote margin no over yes, the current ordinance in the township banning the sale, cultivation and distribution of recreational marijuana will stay on the books. 

Town leaders decided to leave it up to the people to vote Tuesday on what they wanted to do – 5,488 said no and 4,831 said yes.

Advocates of recreational marijuana say towns will benefit from the sale because of job creation and tax revenue. But Mayor Peter Curatolo argued the numbers don't justify setting up shops in a town so close to the Garden State Parkway, with a history of drug problems in the mid-2010s. 

“When you talk about revenue from recreational marijuana, you heard me say it and I always say look at the numbers, don't trust what people say, 2% at $20 million is $20,000, that won't pay for overtime for the police for three weeks,” says Mayor Curatolo. “I think the people saw that and they voted in a great majority over 600 600 votes passed."

One year ago, two thirds of voters in New Jersey said yes to legalizing recreational marijuana.