What are they smoking?
More licensed pot shops are packed into the New York neighborhood below New rules Gov. Kathy Hochul's cannabis regulator proposed Thursday. It will cause anger from weed merchants worried about change and they will go out of business.
Cannabis Management's planning office will strengthen buffer zones that separate licensed pharmacies in New York City communities and other communities with more than 20,000 residents from 1,000 to 500 feet.
You can also issue exemptions to allow multiple operators within 500 feet in cases of so-called difficulties.
For communities with fewer than 20,000 residents, the dict order reduces the buffer zone from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet, further reducing discretion to consider exemptions from difficulties.
It is a potential disaster for current licensees, a cannabis industry source said.
“It is possible to have three infringing stores about 550 feet apart as licensees,” said David Nikonski, chairman of business development for the New York Cannabis Retail Association.
Licensed pot operators are still competing with illegal pot shops, some merchants said.
“The rules are totally ridiculous,” said Ozbert Orduna, CEO of Cannabis Place in Middle Village, Queens, a service disability veteran of the Cannabis Association.
“It's harmful to existing licensed operators and the overture community. You're going to destabilize the market and cause the failure of your existing business,” added Orduna.
Some operators filed lawsuits against the state, challenging buffer zone exemptions, while some lawmakers opposed the change.
“These regulators are smoking bad weeds. Queens Councillor Robert Holden said:
“They haven't even solved the issue of closing illegal shops.”
There are currently 305 adult cannabis clinics in New York, and regulators recently announced that Empire State is outpacing $1 billion in sales from the growing industry.
OCM defended plans to open more cannabis stores in the buffer zone.
“The proposed changes to public convenience and advantage regulations correspond to robust feedback received by the office during the public comment period. Commenters have set the criteria for public convenience and advantage requirements to be recognized. We recommended expanding,” OCM said. Statement Thursday night.
“These proposed amendments provide a comprehensive framework to guide the Board's future consideration of future PCA requests.”
Relaxing the lawn rules will be discussed at the Cannabis Control Board on Friday.
The law legalizing marijuana for sale in New York was approved in 2021 by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
