City gets power to padlock illicit pot shops
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After months of calls for more power in policing illegal smoke shops, city officials finally got their wish by way of the state budget.
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Councilmembers call for a hit of pot enforcement
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In a rare show of unity, a bi-partisan group of city councilmembers, including several from Queens, penned a letter calling on the state to give the city more power to enforce illegal cannabis.
Read MoreGov calls for broader enforcement against illegal pot shops
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Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday renewed her call for increased enforcement against illegal cannabis shops and announced steps to broaden the state’s enforcement through a proposal first introduced through her state budget plan last month.
Read MoreQueens pols push bill to close illegal pot shops but details are hazy
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Queens elected officials and advocates rallied on the steps of City Hall on Friday in support of a bill that they say will help the city crackdown on illegal pot shops – but just how that crackdown would look under the bill remains unclear.
Read MoreQueens pol’s bill takes aim at illegal smoke shops
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A new bill from a Queens legislator would give the city and other local municipalities within the Empire State more authority when it comes to shutting down illegal smoke shops.
Read MoreQueens community boards say pot shop approval process is hazy
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For the past year, community boards throughout New York City have been tasked with serving as one of the first reviewers of those attempting to sell legal marijuana in the five boroughs. But the boards, which serve as the lowest level of local government, have been pushing back, rejecting a number of potential pot shops.
Read MoreAfter long wait, new legal pot shop opens in Queens
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Terp Bros, the first legal cannabis dispensary in Western Queens and the second in all of the World’s Borough, opened to fan fare from locals and elected officials Tuesday.
Read MoreCity Council takes on illegal smoke shops
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A new city law in response to the scourge of illegal smoke shops went into effect this summer, and on Monday, the Queens councilmember who sponsored it and other officials discussed how the new law will work.
Read More'The War on Smoke Shops': Officials agree, illegal pot enforcement is needed, but how is it working?
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Most officials agree – in order for the legal cannabis market to thrive, the unlicensed market must be tampered down. But enforcement of the unlicensed market has ruffled feathers on both sides of the issue – some have pushed for greater enforcement, while others say the current tactics mirror the enforcement of the failed war on drugs that marijuana legalization in New York State was aimed at rectifying.
Read MoreBuds and bureaucracy: Legal pot seller convinces community board to green light new shop
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Want to open a pot shop in Queens? Well, you’ll have to go through the community board first.
Read MoreIllegal weed busts increase as legal market continues to bud
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“Without question, in order for legal cannabis shops to be successful, illegal cannabis shops have to be shut down.”
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