‘Light up,’ says NYC Mayor Adams, defying state wish to crack down on illegal MJ

[orthene]

https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/light-up-says-nyc-mayor-adams-defying-states-desire-to-crack-down-on-illegal-weed

On Friday (June 3), New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave the green light to millions of New Yorkers to light up some weed and enjoy themselves. And he doesn’t care if you’re smoking or selling unlicensed cannabis, for now.

“Enjoy yourself, light up, but most importantly, spend some money,” the Mayor said during an appearance at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo at Javits Center in Manhattan. 

New York’s adult-use market could kick off before 2022 ends. The grey area between now and then is wide open, and Adams doesn’t see the harm in allowing the dozens of weed trucks, private clubs, and gifting shops that have been operating in the open since the state passed legalization in March 2021.

But not all lawmakers in The Empire State are riding with Mayor Adams’ relaxed approach.

The day before the mayor said “light up,” New York’s Senate, led by Sen. Liz Krueger, passed a bill that would crack down on illicit possession and sales. That bill needed approval from the state Assembly before the end of last week to move forward. But Friday passed without a vote, as Mayor Adams’ words rang loud and clear. The Senate-backed bill is now on ice until 2023.

Mayor Adams told the Javits Center crowd that he doesn’t want to approach the state’s budding cash crop—New York expects to collect $1.25 billion from legal weed in the next six years—with heavy hands. He says he intends to give warnings and wrist-slaps to those bending the rules.

“‘Listen, you can’t do this,’ give them a warning,” Adams, a former NYPD cop, said of his plans for dealing with unlicensed dealers. Instead of fines and arrests, he said he wants to help all non-licensed dealers take steps towards starting legitimate cannabis businesses.

The Mayor has earmarked $5 million in his executive budget to help New Yorkers apply for recreational cultivation licenses. But he also said that sellers who refuse to comply after their wrist slaps could face “some form” of enforcement.

“If they refuse to adhere to the rules, then you have to come back and take some form of enforcement actions, such as a summons, such as, you know, talking about their ability to sell alcohol.” -Mayor Adams

In April, Mayor Adams flirted with the idea of putting greenhouses on top of city buildings to grow weed and employ residents. Officials in Thailand and other nations have invested heavily in cannabis job growth recently.

[jones]

Sweeet!

[orthene]

"New York expects to collect $1.25 billion from legal weed in the next six years" works out to 208.3 million per year. Taking a punitive position at this point would be counterintuitive.

  ...We need summer dollars.