Although New York approved the marijuana use for recreational purposes, delays in the process of granting sales licenses and the accelerated proliferation of stores that sell cannabis without a permit like “hot bread”, have put the health and lives of New Yorkers at risk who purchase unsupervised or regulated products in thousands of stores, many of them children and adolescents.
This has been the constant complaint of the authorities, who warn that currently only nine stores are legally licensed to sell marijuana in the Big Apple, meaning that more than 99% of the businesses that offer themselves as cannabis stores, are illegal, and have no no supervision.
And amidst the concern and the warning call from City agencies and law enforcement officials to not buy marijuana in illegal stores, the city Council is analyzing a bill that seeks to protect younger New Yorkers from falling into the consumption of dangerous products, through the promotion of an awareness campaign about the real risks of ingesting or smoking unregulated cannabis.
This is what he revealed Manhattan Councilwoman Julie Meninwho introduced the bill in the New York City legislature, where the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection held a hearing to seek protections against illegal marijuana establishments and tobacco sites that continue to grow in the five boroughs.
“By implementing this public awareness campaign, we are taking a proactive step to protect our youth and the public from the health risks associated with unlicensed cannabis retailers, and an educational campaign will allow consumers to make informed decisions and ensure their well-being,” he said. the legislator.
“My office is constantly inundated with reports from concerned constituents detailing the unchecked operations of unlicensed tobacco stores. “This legislation is designed to inform young people that these tobacco shops, which often use cartoon images that can easily capture a young person’s attention, offer unsafe and unregulated products,” she added.
Ricky Wongdeputy commissioner of the Office of Government Affairs of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, expressed his support for the piece of legislation, especially when many teenagers have the misconception that marijuana is harmless and can be consumed in any of the thousands of stores in the city.
“The Department of Health supports the intent of this legislation to raise awareness, particularly among young people, of the health risks associated with cannabis, including cannabis purchased from unlicensed retailers and synthetic cannabinoids,” the official said. “We look forward to working with the council to meet the need for youth-focused communications about cannabis-related health risks while ensuring these efforts complement existing educational efforts already underway by the Department of Health and OCM.”
The Municipal Council He stressed that recent findings point out the serious dangers posed by the proliferation of unlicensed cannabis retailers, especially for young people, since among other things, the authorities have discovered in thousands of items confiscated in these establishments, contents of lead, salmonella, E. coli, pesticides and other hazardous substances for the health of consumers.
The law that is being promoted in the Municipal Council and that has the support of 35 legislatorswould direct the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), in coordination with relevant agencies, to establish a comprehensive public awareness campaign strategy on marijuana use and purchasing synthetic and adulterated items in illegal stores.
And in response to the question that many New Yorkers ask about why the Municipal Administration does not close the thousands of illegal sales establishments, the Council explained that because the direct control of the cannabis industry is a state jurisdiction and not a local oneNew York City lacks direct control to combat these unlicensed stores, which may experience temporary closures and merchandise confiscation, but reopen the next day.
On the other hand, and given the delays in the licensing process for legal cannabis retailers in New York, the Ombudsman, Jumaane Williams, was concerned about the safety of younger New Yorkers who purchase products in illegal stores and equity for those who wish to enter the sales industry legally.
“My biggest concern with these unlicensed retailers is that, in addition to not being licensed, what they sell is not regulated either“said Williams, insisting that the most serious thing is that consumers do not know for sure what they are purchasing, since they are unsupervised products and can generate serious consequences for physical and mental health.
“There is no uniform way to know what an individual is purchasing.. Products sold in unlicensed stores often violate state packaging laws that require clear testing information,” the Ombudsman added.
The official’s Office asked the State to accelerate its permit granting processes, as it mentioned that since the approval of the recreational marijuana law, the Cannabis Control Board has issued more than 450 conditional sales licenses, but only less than 25 businesses have opened, nine of them in the Big Apple. Currently another problem is that a court order, enacted after a lawsuit from veterans who request to be part of the first groups to be able to apply for marijuana sales licenses, prevents more permits from being granted for now and more stores from opening, even those that already exist. have an approved license, which in turn encourages the proliferation of more illegal retailers.
“Another consideration when addressing this growing problem could be the legitimization of certain unlicensed retailers through transitional licenses, which would ultimately place them under state regulation and guarantee that health and safety guidelines are followed, and of course, that sales to minors are not made,” said the Ombudsman. “This expansion could be done in collaboration with those who have been part of the legacy of the cannabis market, with the goal of returning profits and funds to the hands of people and communities harmed by the so-called war on drugs.”
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