BUFFALO, N.Y. — In just three weeks, hundreds of illicit storefronts were shut down across New York State according to today's announcement from Governor Kathy Hochul.
The state's Cannabis Enforcement Task was responsible for the closures, seizing more than 29 million dollars worth of illegal products. According to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), legal sales of cannabis have increased by 27 percent thanks to strict enforcement by the Task Force and the state's commitment to closing unlicensed cannabis storefronts.
“The risks and dangers that unlicensed cannabis poses to our communities and licensed cannabusiness is no small thing," said Felicia A.B. Reid, Executive Director of the OCM. "They threaten to undo the incredible work New York has done to center equity, create jobs, and ensure the integrity of products as the cannabis market expands."
State initiatives to protect the legal market were first introduced by Hochul this past April, as a part of the FY25 Enacted Budget. The Task Force was launched in May as a statewide effort to combat illicit sales with help from the State Police and the OCM.
Shortly after its launch, 114 illegal cannabis stores have been shut down throughout New York- totaling a collection of 29,306,247 dollars worth of illegal substances.
The Task Force operates by deploying investigators and analysts to further inspect illicit shops and works closely with landlords to evict unlicensed dispensaries- or penalize them if they fail to evict tenants.
In a release, Hochul said it is necessary to enforce the closures of unlicensed storefronts to protect legal sales, adding that she is "committed to building the strongest, most equitable cannabis market in the nation."
