Brick Township officials are considering a preemptive ban on the sale of recreational marijuana, should the Murphy administration sign legislation making it legal.

People on both sides of the issue attended a Brick Township Council Meeting Tuesday evening.

Allowing the sale of marijuana may be an uphill battle in the township after little support was given for a medical marijuana dispensary that was planned to open at the site of a former First Ocean Bank.

Brick resident Marcel Diaz says that he is against recreational marijuana.

“What I don’t understand is the lies perpetuated that cannabis is curing cancer. Lies that cannabis not being habit-forming or addictive,” he says.

But supporters say that the substance had many health benefits and will also provide a revenue stream for the state and municipalities that allow the sale.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that lawmakers were one step closer to legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults.

The deal calls for a $42 per ounce tax and entitles towns to collect tax revenue, as well. Municipalities with cannabis retailers could collect 3 percent tax, those with cultivators will collect 2 percent and those with wholesalers would get 1 percent.

Murphy is also calling for the expungement of criminal records for those who were convicted of low-level marijuana crimes.

A vote on the bill in the state Assembly is expected as early as March 25.