Illegal NYC weed stores are thriving - and cops are powerless
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's first legal weed dispensary opened to much fanfare at 4.20pm on Thursday.
But the high is dampened by the fact dozens of shops have already been selling weed across the city for moref than a year.
Several of the stores within just a few blocks of the first licensed dispensary, Housing Works Cannabis Co., told DailyMail.com on Friday that they knew they were operating outside the law - and would continue regardless.
Astonishingly, the NYPD has also admitted police officers are essentially powerless to stop the illegal shops from operating.
The bizarre situation means that while the opening of the first licensed store marks a symbolic step in New York City's legalization of weed, it seems materially insignificant.
Housing Works Cannabis Co.
opened at 4.20pm on Thursday and becomes the first licensed weed shop in New York City - but unlicensed counterparts have been operating for over a year
The shop's opening was met with understandable fanfare and customers queued around the block to become some of the first people to buy weed legally in New York City
New Yorkers have been able to walk into bricks and mortar stores to buy cannabis since it was legalized for recreational use in March 2021.
Many delis and convenience stores also stock weed.
As one unlicensed store worker puts it: 'There are so many shops that are not licensed.'
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A spokesman for the NYPD told DailyMail.com on Friday that 'the law, as currently written, does not provide an enforcement mechanism when an unlicensed establishment displays cannabis for sale...
'Furthermore, the state law does not provide the NYPD with a mechanism to close down unlicensed establishments.'
Police can only enforce the law if 'an actual sale is observed'.
The situation has created understandable confusion among both businesses and customers.
On the face of it, the unlicensed stores are illegal. But police can't stop it and it's highly unlikely that proprietors will face repercussions.
Workers in several unlicensed shops said they have never been visited by police or city authorities.
Some said a visit was only likely if they were found to have sold weed to under-21s.
A worker organizes cannabis flowers before the opening of Housing Works Cannabis Co, the first legal recreational marijuana dispensary located in the East Village in Manhattan
Housing Works Cannabis Co.
opened in lower Manhattan on Thursday. Kenneth Woodin (above) was the first customer to buy marijuana from the store when it opened at 4.20pm
New York City opened its first legal dispensary in the city at 4.20pm on Thursday and Mayor Eric Adams hailed it as a 'promising step'.
His office has also said 'no illegal business operations should be tolerated'.
Housing Works Cannabis Co. in lower Manhattan sold the first order of legal cannabis in the state since recreational weed was legalized in 2021 for residents aged 21 and over.
The state is offering the first 150 licenses for the legal sale to people - and their relatives - who have been previously convicted of dealing or selling the drug.
'Today marks a major milestone in our efforts to create the most equitable cannabis industry in the nation,' Adams said on Thursday.
'The opening of the first legal dispensary in our state right here in New York City is more than just a promising step for this budding industry — it represents a new chapter for those most harmed by the failed policies of the past.'
New York City opened its first legal dispensary in the city at 4.20pm on Thursday and Mayor Eric Adams hailed it as a 'promising step'
The company has received about 2,000 reservations to make purchases with a line wrapping around the building
The new dispensary is operated by the nonprofit Housing Works - a social-service agency that helps those with AIDS and HIV, and those who were formerly incarcerated or homeless.
The organization said all proceeds from sales 'go back to fund our services and advocacy, which include housing, healthcare, and people living with HIV and chronic illness'.
'We're absolutely thrilled to be the first and hopefully setting a model that other folks will have to follow,' Charles King, CEO of Housing Works said.
King raved about the location in the East Village area being close to New York University - which is a tourist hot spot.
'This location is a perfect location,' he said.
'We're between the West Village, the East Village. Tourists can come by here easily. So we think we're going to bring up a lot of sales here.'
The state legalized marijuana last year to anyone aged 21 and over in 2021, and made those convicted of weed possession eligible for resentencing.
Pictured: a demonstrator at the NYC Cannabis Parade in May 2021
A couple of blocks away at an unlicensed store, a staff member - who didn't want the business to be named - admitted they were technically operating outside of the law.
He said a lot of their weed comes from areas like California and Canada, where growing a selling the drug is legal.
The worker insisted the product was high-quality - something that's not always a certainty in unregulated shops.
'They can't move enough of their weed and some of that gets pushed to the 'gray market',' he said.
They gray market is what exists in New York.
It's unlicensed and technically illegal, but police can't stop it and the industry is rife.
a fantastic read worker in another shop a few blocks from Housing Works Cannabis Co. said the store was operating without a license, but she had never had any issue with authorities.
The woman said most workers in unlicensed shops will 'act clueless' if they are questioned by authorities.
A worker at Smoker's World, an unlicensed shop by Times Square, recently told the New York Times that 'everybody's doing what they got to do to get in the market.'
A City Hall spokesman said: 'Mayor Adams has made clear that we cannot allow unlicensed, illegal stores to undermine the success of the legal adult use cannabis market and endanger the public.'
The city launched a 'Joint Interagency Task Force in November to conduct inspections on unlicensed establishments selling illegal cigarettes, vaping products, and cannabis products'.
Queues snaked around the block when the licensed store opened on Thursday
The store also sells merchandise, including a t-shire with the slogan 'buy weed from women'
By mid-December, the team had inspected 53 locations across the city's five boroughs and seized more than 100,000 illegal products, totaling an estimated retail value of $4,143,647.
City Hall said some of the unlicensed stores 'may not be aware' they need a license, while others 'may be trying to take advantage of legalization to sell unregulated products without going through the proper process'.
Asked whether unlicensed shops are breaking the law, the spokesman said: 'It depends on the types of products being sold, the quantity, how they are being displayed and labeled, and many other factors.
We have issues civil summonses, criminal summonses, and even made arrests depending on the nature of the offense.'
He added: 'Our enforcement efforts focus on those who are making the sales, not those purchasing these products.
We encourage all New Yorkers to support the legal cannabis economy, which could be an economic boon to our city and state.'
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But the high is dampened by the fact dozens of shops have already been selling weed across the city for moref than a year.
Several of the stores within just a few blocks of the first licensed dispensary, Housing Works Cannabis Co., told DailyMail.com on Friday that they knew they were operating outside the law - and would continue regardless.
Astonishingly, the NYPD has also admitted police officers are essentially powerless to stop the illegal shops from operating.
The bizarre situation means that while the opening of the first licensed store marks a symbolic step in New York City's legalization of weed, it seems materially insignificant.
Housing Works Cannabis Co.
opened at 4.20pm on Thursday and becomes the first licensed weed shop in New York City - but unlicensed counterparts have been operating for over a year
The shop's opening was met with understandable fanfare and customers queued around the block to become some of the first people to buy weed legally in New York City
New Yorkers have been able to walk into bricks and mortar stores to buy cannabis since it was legalized for recreational use in March 2021.
Many delis and convenience stores also stock weed.
As one unlicensed store worker puts it: 'There are so many shops that are not licensed.'
RELATED ARTICLES
Share this article
Share
A spokesman for the NYPD told DailyMail.com on Friday that 'the law, as currently written, does not provide an enforcement mechanism when an unlicensed establishment displays cannabis for sale...
'Furthermore, the state law does not provide the NYPD with a mechanism to close down unlicensed establishments.'
Police can only enforce the law if 'an actual sale is observed'.
The situation has created understandable confusion among both businesses and customers.
On the face of it, the unlicensed stores are illegal. But police can't stop it and it's highly unlikely that proprietors will face repercussions.
Workers in several unlicensed shops said they have never been visited by police or city authorities.
Some said a visit was only likely if they were found to have sold weed to under-21s.
A worker organizes cannabis flowers before the opening of Housing Works Cannabis Co, the first legal recreational marijuana dispensary located in the East Village in Manhattan
Housing Works Cannabis Co.
opened in lower Manhattan on Thursday. Kenneth Woodin (above) was the first customer to buy marijuana from the store when it opened at 4.20pm
New York City opened its first legal dispensary in the city at 4.20pm on Thursday and Mayor Eric Adams hailed it as a 'promising step'.
His office has also said 'no illegal business operations should be tolerated'.
Housing Works Cannabis Co. in lower Manhattan sold the first order of legal cannabis in the state since recreational weed was legalized in 2021 for residents aged 21 and over.
The state is offering the first 150 licenses for the legal sale to people - and their relatives - who have been previously convicted of dealing or selling the drug.
'Today marks a major milestone in our efforts to create the most equitable cannabis industry in the nation,' Adams said on Thursday.
'The opening of the first legal dispensary in our state right here in New York City is more than just a promising step for this budding industry — it represents a new chapter for those most harmed by the failed policies of the past.'
New York City opened its first legal dispensary in the city at 4.20pm on Thursday and Mayor Eric Adams hailed it as a 'promising step'
The company has received about 2,000 reservations to make purchases with a line wrapping around the building
The new dispensary is operated by the nonprofit Housing Works - a social-service agency that helps those with AIDS and HIV, and those who were formerly incarcerated or homeless.
The organization said all proceeds from sales 'go back to fund our services and advocacy, which include housing, healthcare, and people living with HIV and chronic illness'.
'We're absolutely thrilled to be the first and hopefully setting a model that other folks will have to follow,' Charles King, CEO of Housing Works said.
King raved about the location in the East Village area being close to New York University - which is a tourist hot spot.
'This location is a perfect location,' he said.
'We're between the West Village, the East Village. Tourists can come by here easily. So we think we're going to bring up a lot of sales here.'
The state legalized marijuana last year to anyone aged 21 and over in 2021, and made those convicted of weed possession eligible for resentencing.
Pictured: a demonstrator at the NYC Cannabis Parade in May 2021
A couple of blocks away at an unlicensed store, a staff member - who didn't want the business to be named - admitted they were technically operating outside of the law.
He said a lot of their weed comes from areas like California and Canada, where growing a selling the drug is legal.
The worker insisted the product was high-quality - something that's not always a certainty in unregulated shops.
'They can't move enough of their weed and some of that gets pushed to the 'gray market',' he said.
They gray market is what exists in New York.
It's unlicensed and technically illegal, but police can't stop it and the industry is rife.
a fantastic read worker in another shop a few blocks from Housing Works Cannabis Co. said the store was operating without a license, but she had never had any issue with authorities.
The woman said most workers in unlicensed shops will 'act clueless' if they are questioned by authorities.
A worker at Smoker's World, an unlicensed shop by Times Square, recently told the New York Times that 'everybody's doing what they got to do to get in the market.'
A City Hall spokesman said: 'Mayor Adams has made clear that we cannot allow unlicensed, illegal stores to undermine the success of the legal adult use cannabis market and endanger the public.'
The city launched a 'Joint Interagency Task Force in November to conduct inspections on unlicensed establishments selling illegal cigarettes, vaping products, and cannabis products'.
Queues snaked around the block when the licensed store opened on Thursday
The store also sells merchandise, including a t-shire with the slogan 'buy weed from women'
By mid-December, the team had inspected 53 locations across the city's five boroughs and seized more than 100,000 illegal products, totaling an estimated retail value of $4,143,647.
City Hall said some of the unlicensed stores 'may not be aware' they need a license, while others 'may be trying to take advantage of legalization to sell unregulated products without going through the proper process'.
Asked whether unlicensed shops are breaking the law, the spokesman said: 'It depends on the types of products being sold, the quantity, how they are being displayed and labeled, and many other factors.
We have issues civil summonses, criminal summonses, and even made arrests depending on the nature of the offense.'
He added: 'Our enforcement efforts focus on those who are making the sales, not those purchasing these products.
We encourage all New Yorkers to support the legal cannabis economy, which could be an economic boon to our city and state.'
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