The state cannabis regulator in New York has refused to give an estimate of how many illegal pot shops there are in the state. Mayor Adams announced a program called “Padlock to Protect” to close down these illicit weed stores across the five boroughs of New York City. The state Office Cannabis Management’s deputy director of intergovernmental affairs, Pascale Bernard, acknowledged that the number of illegal shops is larger than desired, but did not provide a specific estimate during a meeting at Queens Borough Hall. However, Mayor Adams and city Sheriff Anthony Miranda mentioned that there are around 2,900 suspected stores illegally selling marijuana in the city, compared to only 55 licensed shops throughout the state.
During ongoing inspections targeting illegal cannabis shops in New York City, law enforcement visited over 20 locations and found vast quantities of cannabis and illegal hallucinogens like Psilocybin at many of them. The sheriff’s office, the NYPD, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Production participated in these inspections. The emphasis of the raids is not only on closing down illegal shops but also on protecting youths who have been targeted by the illegal industry with brightly colored cannabis edibles designed to appeal to them. Adams gave a pep talk to the cannabis cops before the raids to highlight the importance of the mission and to ensure that legal cannabis continues to thrive in the city.
The new state law recently approved will make it easier for authorities to take action against illegal cannabis shops. Previously, shops could reopen rapidly after a raid, but now the law allows for immediate cease-and-desist and sealing orders to keep illicit shops closed pending an administrative review. The owners and landlords of these buildings could face significant penalties for failing to comply with closure orders. Despite these measures, some elected officials and civic leaders, such as Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, are skeptical that the crackdown will effectively close all illegal pot shops. Fossella believes that more resources are needed to curb the proliferation of these shops.
While the crackdown on illegal cannabis shops is ongoing, some elected officials and community boards are opposing the opening of state-licensed cannabis shops until all illegal ones are permanently closed. For example, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella is concerned that shutting down one shop will only lead to the opening of several more, perpetuating the cycle. Community Board 9 in central Queens is also taking a similar stance, demanding that all illegal shops in the area be shut down before new licenses are granted. Despite the challenges, Mayor Adams and the city’s law enforcement agencies remain committed to protecting communities from the negative impacts of illegal cannabis shops and ensuring that the legal cannabis industry thrives in New York City.
