What are they smoking?
More licensed pot shops would be crammed into New York neighborhoods under a new rule proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s cannabis regulators Thursday — sparking outrage from weed merchants who worry the change would put them out of business.
The Office of Cannabis Management’s plan would tighten the buffer zones separating licensed dispensaries in communities in New York City and other communities of 20,000 or more residents from 1,000 feet to 500 feet.
Waivers could also be issued to allow more than one operator within 500 feet in so-called hardship cases.
For communities with fewer than 20,000 residents, the edict would slash the buffer zone from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet, plus the discretion to consider hardship waivers.
It’s a potential disaster for current licensees, cannabis industry sources said.
“It’s possible to have three infringing stores located approximately 550 feet away from you as a licensee,” said David Nicponski, chair of business development with the New York Cannabis Retail Association.
The licensed pot operators are also still competing with illegal pot stores, some merchants said.
“This rule is completely absurd,” said Osbert Orduna, CEO of the Cannabis Place in Middle Village, Queens and co-chair of the Service Disabled Veterans in Cannabis Association.
“It will be detrimental to existing licensed operators and oversature communities. You’re going to destabilize the market and cause the failure of existing businesses,” Orduna added.
Some operators have filed suit against the state, challenging exemptions to the buffer zones while some lawmakers pushed back against the change.
“These regulators are smoking bad weed. It’s one miscue after another,” said Queens Councilman Robert Holden.
“They haven’t even solved the problem of shutting down the illegal shops.”
There are now 305 adult-licensed cannabis dispensaries in New York and regulators recently announced the Empire State has surpassed $1 billion in sales from the growing industry.
OCM had no immediate comment.
The relaxing of the turf rule will be discussed at a Cannabis Control Board meeting on Friday.
The law legalizing marijuana for sale in New York was approved by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021.
