The city’s efforts to weed out illegal pot shops have a new feature: a law punishing commercial landlords who knowingly lease space to the unlicensed joints.
The law, which took effect July 23, was highlighted by two of its City Council sponsors at a public service announcement outside a licensed pot seller near Union Square on Monday.
“This is a game changer in shutting down illegal cannabis shops that are proliferating in New York City and threatening our communities,” said Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, a Queens Democrat who pushed the law to passage.
The measure differs from previous rules targeting the illegal businesses, Schulman noted, predicting the law would inspire landlords to evict lawless pot shops.
The penalty for landlords that violate the law would be $5,000 for an initial offense and $10,000 for subsequent offenses.
Schulman said she did not know of any enforcement actions so far. Under the law, the city is required to issue a quarterly report on enforcement actions.
Last month the New York State Cannabis Control Board issued more than 100 new licenses to applicants seeking to run pot shops in the city. The Legislature legalized recreational cannabis use more than two years ago.
A Council report published in January found illicit cannabis sales in 11 of 17 smoke shops located within a roughly 10-block radius of the state’s first legal marijuana store, the Housing Works Cannabis Co. dispensary in NoHo.
It is difficult to determine exactly how many shops illegally sell marijuana in the city. But Mayor Adams has estimated there could be about 1,500.
Officials say many are targeting children.
“The illegal shops that are undermining the entire market are selling to people that are underage. They are using cartoon-y packages,” said Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, a Manhattan Democrat.
Rivera, who represents the Union Square area packed with illegal pot shops, described the stores as “incredibly problematic.”
“We have an obligation to protect a healthy, legal cannabis market,” she said.
H/T: www.nydailynews.com
