NEW YORK STATE, USA — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday officially made it a crime to sell cannabis products in New York without a license.
Unlicensed businesses could now face closure or fines at a starting rate of $10,000 per day. State agencies will also be granted authorization to seek a state order for padlocking non-cooperative businesses.
The announcement comes following initial enforcement actions and inspections done in June by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management and Department of Taxation, which resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 pounds and $11 million in illicit products.
"These unlicensed businesses violate our laws, put public health at risk, and undermine the legal cannabis market, and with the powerful new tools in our toolbelt we're sending a clear and strong message: if you sell illegal cannabis in New York, you will be caught, and you will be stopped" Hochul said.
Their efforts were authorized by the governor in May under a law recently passed within the State's Fiscal 2024 Budget. The departments have jointly conducted 33 different storefront inspections in New York City, Ithaca and Binghamton businesses in the last two weeks, with Notices of Violation issued to 31 of them. These sites will appear at an administrative hearing to negotiate final penalties.
In addition to fining and initiating shut down, the OCM will be given authority to conduct regulatory inspections of licensed sites and levy civil penalties to businesses that neglect to pay taxes. Further inspections and enforcement efforts will continue weekly throughout New York State.
"These illicit shops endanger the public's health, safety and well-being with untested, unregulated products but also confuse the public as they try to perpetrate their businesses and products as licensed and sanctioned even though they are not." said New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal People-Stokes. "These closures are necessary, and combined with continuing to open CAURD dispensaries, will allow New York's legal cannabis market to reach its full potential."
The following sites have been issued New York State notices of violation:
- Varieties on Broadway - 736 Broadway, New York, NY
- Roll 2 Nation - 738 Broadway, New York, NY
- Baby Jeeter - 793 Broadway, New York, NY
- Maze - 16 St. Marks Place, New York, NY
- LaGuardia Smoke - 510 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY
- Nomad - 59 West 30th Street, New York, NY
- Play Lane - 117B W 23rd Street, New York, NY
- Cannabis Culture - 403 8th Avenue, New York, NY
- Smoke Factory - 287 7th Avenue, New York, NY
- Go Green Dispensary - 603 6th Avenue, New York, NY
- Daydream - 1181 Broadway, New York, NY
- Giggles - 59 1st Avenue, New York, NY
- Empire Smoke Shop - 57 1st Avenue, New York, NY
- NYC Smokes - 104 MacDougal Street, New York, NY
- Caviar - 110 MacDougal Street, New York, NY
- Sweet and Sour - 73 2nd Avenue, New York, NY
- Smart Smokes - 143 1st Avenue, New York, NY
- Old G Convenience Corp - 18 West 14th Street, New York, NY
- Premier Top, Inc - 54 14th Street, New York, NY
- Black Leaf - 103 East State Street, Ithaca, NY
- Zaza Convenience - 101 East State Street, Ithaca, NY
- The Rezz - 312 Fourth Street, Ithaca, NY
- Puff N Pass Smoke Shop - 222 Elmira Road #10, Ithaca, NY
- Green Magic - 114 Henry Street, Binghamton, NY
- Take Off - 2-63 Chenango Street, Binghamton, NY
- BMillz 122 Washington Ave, Endicott NY
- Runtz 14 1st Ave, NY NY
- BMillz 1110 Conklin Rd, Conklin NY
- Royal Vapes, 113 Washington Ave, Endicott NY
- Sogie Mart 24 Ave A, NY NY
- Recreational Plus Dispensary 180 1st Ave, NY NY