More than $11,000 pounds (almost 5 tons) of cannabis products worth more than $54 million dollars have been seized throughout New York state until last month After the latest round of inspections of unlicensed stores, the government announced.
The Cannabis Management Office of New York noted that the state won a court case on November 21 that will facilitate the permanent and padlocked closure of stores of illegally operated marijuana in the future.
In early spring, Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature approved a law that toughens penalties against unlicensed operators that have sprung up throughout New York City, number rising to 1,500according to Mayor Eric Adams and Sheriff Anthony Miranda.
New York is the city that consumes the most marijuana in the world, according to the Cannabis Global Price Index 2023.
State inspections last month led to the seizure of 812 pounds of flower, 701 pounds of edibles and 61 pounds of cannabis concentrate, with an estimated value of $7.3 million. This year 350 places have been inspected88 of which were revisited since 2022, bringing the haul to 11,000 pounds of marijuana valued at $54 million, he detailed. New York Post.
“As we look towards the next chapter in the New York cannabis market“We continue to prioritize safety across the state by working diligently to crack down on illegal operators,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of the Bureau of Cannabis Management.
“The number one remedy for the problem of these illicit stores is to open more legal businesses. New Yorkers want to know where their products come from and know they can trust a safe, reliable, locally grown cannabis when they walk into one of our legal dispensaries,” Alexander said.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers did not adequately address enforcement against illicit operators when they passed the law that legalized the use and sale of marijuana by adults in 2021which generated a massive black market before the legal one even took off.
The law criminalizes the sale of cannabis and cannabis products without a license. Fines start at $10,000 per day and can increase up to $20,000 per continued violation. Additional fines may also be imposed and regulators may seek a court order to ultimately lock down companies that repeatedly violate the law.
New York State currently has 27 licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries, 12 of which are located in NYC. A court order issued in August blocked new licenses and store openings, leaving the marijuana industry in legal limbo.
With the legal issues resolved, state regulators are expected to increase the approval and opening of new licensed cannabis stores in the coming months.
Last week, the governor’s office and the cannabis control board resolved a discrimination lawsuit alleging the state favored convicted marijuana felons over disabled veterans in licensing to sell legal marijuana.
After the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana in New York in May 2021 and the opening of the first legal dispensaries for its sale, another problem that has arisen is the trade of cannabis and its derivatives without licenses.
Furthermore, pediatricians have warned that Emergencies have skyrocketed in New York hospitals related to minors who have consumed marijuana in their various presentations, including sweets, according to doctors, police and parents.
Another report highlighted that more and more pets, especially dogs, are getting sick after accidentally eating or sniffing products containing marijuana that they find on the street or in their homes in New York.
According to the New York police, in addition to individual illegal suppliers, in January there were more than 1,300 marijuana stores selling the product without having a license or paying taxes, threatening the survival of those who have processed their permits. Since then the figure has risen.
In addition, health and public safety risks such as fires, homicides and violent robberies with attacks on employees are generated, and consumption among minors is facilitated. Whether vaping, edibles or directly smoking marijuana, experts remind that excessive consumption can damage a young person’s developing brain.
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2023-12-06 17:34:00
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