A few weeks ago, Raritan Smoke Shop opened on Main Street in Highland Park. It may seem innocuous, though the large neon image of a hookah pipe in the window makes it clear that these products are decidedly adult in nature. This little store has caused quite a bit of discussion among students and parents alike. Some parents worry about its proximity to the school, while others cheer that they don't have to drive so far to get the supplies they’re looking for. Students whisper to each other when they pass by its window, and some stop to admire the artwork of the glass pipes.
The store sells bongs, cigarettes, lighters, and just about anything else you might need in relation to smoking, except of course, cannabis. Despite rumors circling around town, there is no actual marijuana sold at the Raritan Smoke Shop. The store is what’s known as a “head shop” or a store that specializes in the sale of paraphernalia used in the consumption of cannabis and tobacco. While head shops can be dispensaries, most are not. In fact, there are only twelve marijuana dispensaries in New Jersey. The process of getting a license to sell the drug is lengthy and difficult, so even if a dispensary opened in the borough, it wouldn’t be for a long time.
“Fingers crossed to see a dispensary open up closer than theone in Woodbridge.”
There are still a lot of questions about the future of the store and its standing in Highland Park. Will it worsen the current vaping culture in Highland Park High School? Is it here to stay, or will it just be another business to come and go on Main Street? Many people put in their two cents on the shop under a post on the Highland Park parents' Facebook group.
Eric Lipton commented, “…I understand the fears, but come on. Not every business is for everyone. This business isn’t for kids. But we already have businesses called bars that aren’t for kids and everyone survives. For adults, the smoke shop is fine. The owner seems very nice.” Tanya Borsuk agreed, “I’m fine with businesses. They pay taxes and take up real estate.” A few parents even suggested they might patronize the shop, such as George Bogorad, who posted, “It's good to see store fronts being used. To me it's just another business. I hope it succeeds. I have not been there yet. But now that I know it's open I'll have to stop in and see how it is.” Victoria Rooms chimed in, saying, “All for it. Very excited to see progress. Fingers crossed to see a dispensary open up closer than the one in Woodbridge. One for the HP/Edison/ & New Bruns area.”
While most of the reactions were positive, there was some disagreement. Ellen Maughan expressed, “It is disappointing that a smoke shop is the best we can do in attracting businesses to our downtown. But it is not surprising since our society chooses to shop so much on Amazon. Most local storefront businesses struggle so much to survive given this online commercial culture.”
The owner of the smoke shop, Anthony, is happy with the response to the shop and has high hopes for the future. To the disappointment of many middle and high school students, however, they do in fact card.