Governor Kathy Hochul proposes a crack down on sticker shops in New York State


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NY Sticker Shop Crackdown

By Alexandra Deryn

NEW YORK STATE (WENY) – Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a new legislation in an attempt to improve New York State’s cannabis industry. Governor Hochul wants to crack down on sticker shops.





This law would ensure a heavily-regulated cannabis industry that protects consumers and legal sales. Governor Hochul wants to improve the structure of selling legal cannabis.

James Peckham, the co-owner of World Piece in Elmira, said he is skeptical about the legislation being enacted.

“The bottom line is that we will always follow the absolute letter of the law…with that being said…I don’t have a lot of faith that the bill is going to pass,” he said.





















Peckham said his management staff is not worried about being shut down. He read through Governor Hochul’s proposal for new legislation to essentially shut down sticker shops. Peckham said the chances seem slim for a 35-page bill to pass.

“The chances of them being able to stick to a single topic and have unanimous decision…or whatever votes they need to get it…seem unlikely,” he said.

In the proposal, Governor Hochul said all cannabis retailers must file a properly-completed application for a certificate of registration to sell cannabis. Peckham wishes the state would make it easier of sticker shop owners to get those certificates.

“I wish they would put more effort into supporting their existing cannabis applicants…the people that are trying to get through this process than trying to put down all the people who are just trying to help the cannabis community in our area,” he said.









In the proposal, Governor Hochul lists off the penalties for people who fail to obtain a certificate. Those penalties include $10,000 fines per day for unlicensed storefronts. Peckham said World Piece would not shut down unless law enforcement had the resources to actually enforce this law.

“Even if this was passed, unless is has some sort of wording in it that changes the existing law and removes the gifting clause…they still don’t have anything to really to be able to truly prosecute or shut us down,” he said.

These legal cannabis dispensaries are few and far between, across New York State. The closest legal dispensary in the Twin Tiers is based in Ithaca: William Jane’s.

 

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