State Sen. Natalia Fernandez said, “As a strong advocate for legal and regulated cannabis sales, I commend Governor Hochul and the New York State Cannabis Enforcement Task Force for their diligent efforts to shut down illegal stores. I will do my best to move forward with this.” These enforcement efforts have spread to large cities like New Rochelle and across the state, with these stores selling unregulated products that pose a significant risk to local communities. This measure will not only protect local communities, but also strengthen the legal market. We are committed to ensuring New York’s cannabis industry is fair and safe, and these enforcement actions are an important step in that direction. ”
“In this year's budget, we took significant steps to establish a fair and equitable cannabis market in New York State,” said State Sen. Jamal Bailey. Companies that engage in illegal cannabis sales not only undermine the legal cannabis market, but also endanger the health and safety of our communities. We have taken important steps to hold these unethical companies accountable and protect the well-being of our communities. Strengthening enforcement of New York State's cannabis laws by allowing the revocation of licenses for businesses involved in illegal cannabis sales and increasing local governments' authority to shut down establishments that flout the law ensuring a level playing field. “I would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul, legislative leaders Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie, and the Legislative Council for their leadership on this important topic,” said U.S. Sen. Jamal T. Bailey. I would like to thank my colleagues at the prefecture for their support.”
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella Spanton said, “The proliferation of illegal stores in our communities is completely unacceptable and poses public health and safety concerns.” This year, we gave local authorities and the Cannabis Control Authority more powers to padlock illegal shops and imposed a range of fines for first-time offenders. This change has been long overdue and I am pleased that it has enabled our local police force to effectively close down their ranks. ”
“Today marks an important victory for New York State as it takes decisive action against illegal cannabis businesses,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman Segal. It is essential to protect and support legitimate business and maintain public confidence in the legal framework we have established. We are proud to work with them to shut down these illegal operators.”
“I fully support the Cannabis Enforcement Task Force's efforts to aggressively close all unlicensed stores selling unregulated products across the state,” said State Sen. LeRoy Comrie. Anyone distributing cannabis products must ensure they are using approved materials that have been tested for safety. These unlicensed facilities habitually do not use any state-regulated products. I haven’t.”
“The planned closure of hundreds of illegal cannabis stores is a testament to New York's ability to foster a fair, regulated and safe market,” said Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. This important progress would not have been possible without the leadership of Governor Hochul, the New York State Police, and the Bureau of Cannabis Control. This whole-of-government approach promotes legal sales, protects communities, and uplifts those most affected by the war on drugs. As we celebrate today's success, we remain focused on illicit cannabis operations to ensure the success and health of the state's legal cannabis market. ”
“The way government should work is for state and city agencies to work together to swiftly shut down stores that sell illegal marijuana,” said Rep. Catalina Cruz. Today's announcement demonstrates the Governor's commitment to eradicating illegal markets and keeping our communities safe. The purpose of the MRTA was to ensure a safe and prosperous cannabis market for New Yorkers in order to right the historical wrongs committed against Black and brown communities. And while New York is now leading the nation nationally in legal pharmacies owned by people of color, much work remains to be done to truly achieve the goal of social equity. I will continue to work with the Governor and our partners in state and city government to ensure the health and safety of our neighbors and fully establish a thriving industry that truly uplifts Black and brown New Yorkers. ”
“I salute Governor Hochul and the Task Force on Enforcement of Illegal Cannabis Businesses. This decisive action will accelerate the growth of our legal market and shape this growing industry,” said Rep. Kenny Burgos. We champion legally licensed entrepreneurs. We are fostering a fair and robust cannabis environment in New York, which is a testament to what strong and fair regulation can accomplish.”
“Closing illegal cannabis stores is a necessary step to protect our communities from unsafe and untested cannabis products,” said Rep. Landon Dice. This closure will also protect our legal stores, particularly our social equity licensees. We must continue to expand our social equity licenses and ensure we hire people from communities affected by the war on drugs. ”
“Governor Hochul’s announcement of new leadership for the Office of Cannabis Control is an important step in addressing the proliferation of illegal cannabis dispensaries and helping build an equitable cannabis industry,” said Rep. Yudelka Tapia. Ta. The Bronx is one of the counties hardest hit by the war on drugs, and it's important to expand access for our community to the cannabis industry. In doing so, we aim to foster economic growth and ensure all communities have fair access to opportunities within the cannabis industry. ”
“The measures enacted in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to ensure a strong legal cannabis market are important to my colleagues in Congress, the Governor’s Office, the New York City Mayor’s Office, and the New York City Mayor’s Office,” said Congressman Manny de los Santos. “This is the result of effective cooperation.” Dozens of defenders. Unlicensed shops take away our goal of a socially just marketplace where responsible business owners can thrive. We're already seeing the benefits of empowering the Bureau of Cannabis Control and state and local law enforcement to shut down unlicensed stores, with revenue from legal cannabis sales increasing by 27% in just a few weeks. Increased. These measures will give small businesses and many minority- and women-owned businesses the opportunity to responsibly and legally sell cannabis and create jobs in their communities. ”
“I would like to thank Governor Hochul for his cooperation in the work we have done in Congress over the past year to shut down illegal cannabis stores in my district, especially the Lower East Side,” said Congresswoman Grace Lee. “Illegal cannabis stores are becoming a serious problem.” With the Governor's support, we successfully passed legislation that provides OCM and local law enforcement with the tools they need to shut down illegal stores and pave the way for a successful legal market. I am encouraged by the immediate impact this crackdown is already having on our communities. ”
“The closure of illegal smoking stores shows what we can accomplish when all levels of government come together to address the issues facing New Yorkers,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Rajkumar. spoke. I was proud to mobilize New Yorkers from all five boroughs to support incorporating local cannabis enforcement into the state budget. We have already closed 500 unlicensed cannabis stores in just a few weeks. That means 500 fewer stores attracting armed robbers and selling to children. Large amounts of unregulated cannabis are off the streets. And tens of millions of dollars more in tax revenue will go toward investing in our communities. I would like to thank Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams for listening to the concerns of community members and working with me to end the scourge of illegal smoking establishments once and for all. ”
“Closing New York's illegal cannabis stores is a timely and important step, especially as the school year ends and more young people are spending time outdoors. These stores cannot sell to minors,” said Congresswoman Chantel Jackson. By doing so, we can protect young people.” This action will promote a safer community environment. ”
