STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The state Office of Cannabis Management has given the green light for 36 weed dispensaries to open up shop, including two on Staten Island.
What? You mean weed isn’t already being sold legally in New York?
You’d never know from the smell of marijuana wafting from so many cars. Or the telltale stink of weed on someone’s clothes when you pass them on the street or in a store, bar or restaurant.
New York decriminalized weed a while ago. And the result was immediately seen and smelled on the street. The reek was suddenly everywhere.
That’s the enduring strength of the drug black market. Weed dealers were more than ready to supply the increasing demand for ganja the minute that the city and state turned a blind eye to weed possession.
But they weren’t the only ones who got into the act. Illegal weed shops have popped up in droves across the city, according to Fortune magazine, selling marijuana without a license.
Talk about ganjapreneurs.
Authorities earlier this month busted one such shop in Brooklyn, called Big Chief. Brooklyn Democratic City Councilman Justin Brannan likened illegal weed sales to selling untaxed cigarettes or selling booze without a license.
There have also been weed trucks selling pot illegally. Nineteen such vehicles were busted during one sweep last August.
In July, officials sent cease-and-desist orders to 52 illegal weed shops.
New York cannabis authorities have said there has been an enforcement and education effort underway to curb the unlicensed sale of marijuana.
In a statement to the New York Post, the NYPD said the law, as currently written, “does not provide an enforcement mechanism when an unlicensed establishment displays cannabis for sale.”
The law only provides for enforcement if an illegal sale is actually observed.
It all adds up to potentially big problems for the legal weed industry.
The marijuana black market has remained strong even in states where weed has been legalized for recreational use.
In some cases, customers have simply chosen to stay with their familiar weed dealer. Or maybe the quality of “official” weed hasn’t been up to snuff. Or the legally sold product has proven to be more expensive than what can be bought illicitly.
That’s one of the main problems with legal weed sales. We’re told of the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that will come pouring in from marijuana sales. But if the weed is taxed too heavily and priced too high, people won’t buy if they have a cheaper alternative, even if that alternative is illegal.
And why should anyone worry about being caught with illegal weed? There’s no penalty if you’re found holding certain amounts of weed. And once legal weed is in circulation, who will be able to tell the difference between the legal stuff and what’s been bought on the black market?
In a society where repeat violent offenders get returned to the streets without bail, you’d have to be El Chapo in order to get locked up on a marijuana infraction.
Authorities will have to investigate storefront establishments and weed trucks in addition to the cartels.
The enforcement effort could be mind-boggling. And that’s not even taking into account the problem police will have stopping stoned drivers or how weed will be kept out of the hands of underage users.
And how will employers deal with the possibility of a perpetually stoned workforce, especially given how many employees are working from home?
Sure, the dispensary licenses have been issued, but New York’s legal weed industry still faces a mountain of challenges.
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H/T: www.silive.com
