NYGov. Kathy Hochul launches raids of illegal NYC pot shops
New York State regulators launched a crackdown on unlicensed Manhattan smoke shops selling cannabis products, following a recent law authorizing stricter enforcement of unlicensed cannabis businesses, approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the legislature. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and Tax Department inspected seven shops last Wednesday and seized all marijuana and THC-infused products, issuing notices of violation and orders to cease unlicensed activity. The shops, including Varieties on Broadway, Roll 2 Nation, and Baby Jeeter, face daily fines of up to $10,000 in administrative hearings and regulators can petition the state Supreme Court to padlock the premises if they fail to stop selling cannabis. The move follows criticism of the slow and rocky rollout of New York’s legal cannabis program, while at least 1,500 stores of unlicensed city merchants pot have flourished, according to Mayor Eric Adams and city Sheriff Anthony Miranda.
FAQs:
What is the new law authorizing stricter enforcement of unlicensed cannabis businesses?
The recent law approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the legislature allows the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to impose severe fines of up to $20,000 a day for the “most egregious conduct” and make it a crime to sell cannabis and cannabis products without a license.
What did New York State regulators do to illegal smoke shops?
The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and Tax Department inspected seven Manhattan smoke shops and seized all marijuana and THC-infused products while issuing notices of violation and orders to cease unlicensed activity. The shops face daily fines of up to $10,000 in administrative hearings, and regulators can petition the state Supreme Court to padlock the premises if they fail to stop selling cannabis.
Why has the crackdown on unlicensed cannabis businesses been launched?
The move follows criticism of the slow and rocky rollout of New York’s legal cannabis program, while Mayor Eric Adams and city Sheriff Anthony Miranda report at least 1,500 stores of unlicensed city merchants pot have flourished. Hochul stated illegal pot party sales are over, and the illegal shops undermine the State’s efforts to generate substantial funds for a social equity fund that will go into the communities that have been hardest hit by over-prosecution of the cannabis laws in the past.”
What will be the penalty for possessing or selling cannabis in New York?
Until recently, the penalty for possessing more than three ounces of marijuana or selling any of it was a mere $125 fine. However, the recent law authorizes stricter enforcement of unlicensed cannabis businesses where offenders can face fines up to $20,000 a day for the “most egregious conduct” and make it a crime to sell cannabis and cannabis products without a license.
Kathy Hochul, the Governor of New York, initiates raids on unlawful marijuana dispensaries in NYC.
New York State regulators have carried out a surprise raid on seven unlicensed smoke shops in Manhattan, shutting them down in the first enforcement action taken under a strengthened law approved by Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature. On Wednesday, inspectors from the Office of Cannabis Management and the Tax Department seized all the marijuana and THC-infused products at the seven shops and issued notices of violation and orders to cease unlicensed activity. The unlicensed operators now face fines of up to $10,000 a day at administrative hearings, and state regulators will petition the Supreme Court to padlock the premises if they continue to sell cannabis.