Some NY Lawmakers Say Illicit Pot Shops Must Close Before Adding Licensed Shops

After officially legalizing cannabis for adult use in New York, the journey that followed has been fairly tumultuous as multiple roadblocks have delayed shop licensure and hindered the legal industry’s full potential.

A number of lawsuits and a change in gubernatorial leadership delayed dispensary licensure and openings, in turn allowing the illicit market to flourish with those shops drastically outnumbering the amount of legal dispensaries in the state.

As New York growers, business owners and myriad cannabis professionals continue to wait for their licenses to be approved, some New York lawmakers are embracing a different approach (that would likely extend the wait for industry hopefuls even longer).

Namely, Queens Community Board 9 Chairwoman Sherry Algredo argued that New York should refrain from adding any licensed cannabis shops to her district until authorities are able to shut down those operating illegally, according to a New York Post report. Community Board 9 covers the neighborhoods Key Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Woodhaven.

Ongoing Concerns About New York’s Bustling Illicit Weed Market

“The Board received numerous concerns from residents regarding the proliferation of illegal smoke shops already operating in our district and the negative impact these establishments have had on our community,” Algredo said in a recent letter. “Consequently, the Board will not support any new applications until these illegal operations are shut down.”

While Algredo’s statement reads as fairly definitive, the boards’ recommendations are advisory to state regulators, though they can still influence final policy decisions. The law that legalized cannabis in New York also mandates that applicants for cannabis licenses must notify the community board within the vicinity they plan to operate and appear before it prior to opening their businesses.

The conversation surrounding illicit cannabis shops in New York has been ongoing, though Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and other lawmakers have consistently touted their efforts to mitigate theses problems.

In April, the governor unveiled new initiatives aimed to shut down illicit cannabis operations and protect the legal cannabis marketplace. The plan allows the Office of Cannabis Management and local municipalities new authority to take action against illicit shops. 

“Unlicensed dispensaries have littered New York neighborhoods, blatantly circumventing our laws and selling potentially dangerous products,” Hochul said in a statement. “Enough is enough. I promised to protect our communities and hard-working, legal cannabis licensees by expediting the closure of illicit storefronts. I’m proud to stand up and say we got it done.”

Nurturing the Legal Industry While Combating the Illicit One

Last month also marked the opening of the 100th adult-use store in the state. New York legalized adult-use cannabis on March 31, 2021. It also looks like that number should increase soon, as the New York State Cannabis Control Board (CCB) shared last month that it approved an additional 101 adult-use cannabis licenses with more than 400 total approved sites in 2024. 

Conversely, it’s estimated that New York City alone has about 2,000 illicit cannabis stores currently operating.

The state is still working to do what it can to fix the issues with the legal industry rollout. Lawmakers recently passed another resolution that gives the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) the ability to issue provisional licenses, which the CCB hopes will speed up the licensing process. 

“This measure aims to provide provisional license holders with opportunities to begin operations swiftly while adhering to regulatory requirements, fostering a dynamic and competitive marketplace,” the CCB explained.

Still, it’s clear that closing illicit pot shops in the state will not be an easy task. Many illicit shops immediately reopened after raids and temporary shutdown orders under the prior rules, and it’s not yet clear how effective the newly announced laws to close illegal shops will be in practice.

Because of that, closing all illicit shops before allowing new ones to open, even in a single district, may be tougher in reality than in theory. Still, some lawmakers are standing by the need to close unlicensed shops before adding more licensed ones.

“We have 32 illegal cannabis shops. We are not going to entertain any applications for legal cannabis shops until the unlicensed stores are shut down,” CB 9 District Manager James McClelland told The Post.

The post Some NY Lawmakers Say Illicit Pot Shops Must Close Before Adding Licensed Shops first appeared on High Times.

Enemies of Weed Legalization Are Already Raising Money To Challenge Federal Rescheduling Effort

Last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) shared that marijuana would be rescheduled from a Schedule I, meaning that the plant was classified as a substance with no accepted medical value, such as heroin, to a Schedule III, controlled substances that allow for some medical use, such as ketamine. While cannabis advocates, stoners, and anyone with the ability to reason welcomed this news (although it fell short of actually declassifying or legalizing it), just a day following the DEA announcement, a prominent group opposed to cannabis legalization already sent out an email to its supporters soliciting funds to combat the policy change.

“SAM will oppose this change at every level, including, if necessary, pursuing legal action,” the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana shared in the email sent out on Wednesday, which asked, of course, for money. 

The email came with a link to what SAM crowned a “Rescheduling Legal Defense Fund,” which seeks either one-time (or you can make that recurring, of course), monthly donations ranging from $250 to $5,000. Think of all the weed you could buy with that money! Loaded anti-cannabis haters also have the option to donate much, much more. 

If you’ve heard of SAM before, it’s because they are very vocal about what they perceive as the dangers of marijuana. The landing page on their website shares that they’re apparently trying to prevent the “next Big Tobacco,” which is just plain silly. As High Times reported, a recent study actually found that tobacco consumption has decreased in states with recreational cannabis legalization. SAM’s “About” section claims to be bipartisan and then links out to The Drudge Report. 

“Our new Rescheduling Legal Defense Fund will be used to support our challenges of marijuana laws and regulations, specifically marijuana’s Schedule III recommendation,” reads the donation page.

“Let’s be clear: this does not mean marijuana is legalized—it will remain federally illegal,” the email reads (yes, unfortunately, they are right about this). “But, if implemented, moving marijuana to Schedule III would give Big Marijuana billions in tax write-offs as well as continue the normalization of high-potency THC drugs. SAM will oppose this change at every level, including, if necessary, pursuing legal action.”

They are absolutely right about the tax write-off; it’s one of the biggest wins regarding the descheduling announcement. As business is set up now, it’s incredibly hard for cannabis companies to turn a profit. The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) anticipates that reclassifying cannabis to Schedule III will alleviate some of the harsh effects of tax code 280E on thousands of state-legal cannabis enterprises. The Legal Intelligencer notes that this change would eliminate the current restrictions on tax deductions that 280E imposes. 

As for the high THC concern, consuming too much THC can be very uncomfortable, and there are high THC products available for those with high tolerances, but this argument is so tiring. Of course, there’s the obvious comparison to liquor, which leads to blackouts and even death in a way that a big edible just doesn’t. But perhaps more importantly, it’s just so easy to use THC responsibly. One of the benefits of legalization is that products can be clearly labeled so one can purchase the acceptable dose for their tolerance and body weight. There may be 100mg gummies available now, but there are also 2.5mg usually on the same shelf. We know from the failed war on drugs that prohibition doesn’t make things better; in fact, we now know that adult-use cannabis laws and sales were not associated with an overall increase in teen substance abuse. Rather, the researchers found modest drops in alcohol and e-cigarette use occurred. One must use cannabis responsibly, especially when it comes to edibles, but we have to leave that up to individuals and assume that grown-ups can take care of themselves. 

SAM’s president, Kevin Sabet, accused the Biden administration of “starting with the decision and working backward to find the supporting materials,” but, in reality, the original decision to classify cannabis as a Schedule I was, as noted by Rep. Earl Blumenauer said in an emailed statement obtained by High Times in our reporting on the descheduling decision, based on stigma rather than science. And, based on the knee-jerk reaction of SAM, a day after the descheduling announcement, we can assume that the modest move to move marijuana to Schedule III will not end this toxic stigma and that the War on Drugs is far from over. 

The post Enemies of Weed Legalization Are Already Raising Money To Challenge Federal Rescheduling Effort first appeared on High Times.

Scum & Lex the Hex Master Albuquerque, NM Concert Date is Now Sunday, May 12th!

Here is another Faygoluvers.net reminder. As most may know. The Tuesday, April 30th, 2024 Albuquerque, New Mexico concert date, for the 2nd leg of the “Shadow Snuff” tour was  postponed. Rather quickly.  Scum and Lex the Hex Master will now be invading Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, May 12th, 2024 at the 21+ Juno venue.  Hit up Eventbrite for advanced tickets for the 2nd leg of the “Shadow Snuff” tour.

from Faygoluvers

When DEADBUG Met The DUKE [Insane Clown Posse Documentary]

Deadbug travels to San Antonio, TX for Juggalo Day 2024!  He interviews Violent J about their humble beginnings, their 30+ year careers, wrestling, performing, and so much more!  It’s a great fuckin’ watch, so check it out and spread the word!  Who knows…you might even be in it!

from Faygoluvers

Where the Sherbwalk Ends

A fruity yet spicy rendition of Permanent Marker from Pleasant Effects is boosting the profile of the Rhode Island-based grower across the East Coast, as is its eye-catching and artistic packaging including a nostalgic take on a Shel Silverstein classic. Sam, one of the co-founders behind the brand, gained non-cannabis know-how at a local hydroponics company that was designing large-scale hydroponic produce farms. There, he was a head grower, putting together hydroponic systems, but for edible plants.

“Growing cannabis is always what I’ve loved to grow the most. I’ve always been passionate about it,” Sam says. “We competed in the East Coast Zalympix in New York City last year, that was definitely one cool moment.”

Recently, Pleasant Effects executed a collaboration with The Book Club, which releases curated cannabis drops, all styled after books and designed by glass artist and illustrator Trevor Johns, aka Trevy Metal. The drop with Pleasant Effects was inspired by the whimsical collection of poems by Silverstein, specifically a play on his classic, Where the Sidewalk Ends. “Where the Sherbwalk Ends” is a collaboration with Pleasant Effects, based off of Sherbanger #22, and lists a fictional author, Sherb Silverstein.

“We’re pretty much showcasing the love for literature,” says Trevy Metal. “Every book that we chose has somewhat of a nostalgic factor to it. Like this one in particular, I was like a huge fan, as I was inspired by all illustrations from Shel Silverstein growing up.”

The homage is fitting given that Silverstein wrote a series of poems and songs about pot, quaaludes, and other drugs. These references can be found in his famous poem “The Smoke-Off” (1978) which describes smoking in San Rafael, California or the song “I Got Stoned and I Missed It” (1972).

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of High Times Magazine.

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