Eric Adams’ Losing Battle Against Unlicensed Weed Dealers

NEW YORK CITY — On a rainy afternoon last week, I walked into one of the estimated 1,500 unlicensed weed shops in New York. The shelves were lined with festively decorated bongs and CBD, the nonpsychoactive substance in marijuana. 

“Do you have any THC products?” I asked.

“Yes!” the clerk said, reaching behind the counter and whipping out a jar of weed gummies as if I’d asked for a candy bar. 

“Are you worried about the police? Or getting a fine?” I asked. 

He looked confused. “Huh? I don’t understand? Why would I worry about the police?” 

Well, because Mayor Eric Adams is absolutely furious about the proliferation of unlicensed pot shops like this establishment and has pledged, repeatedly, to kill the market. Over the weekend, the New York Police Department raided 10 shops in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. Two arrests were made at Expo Smoke Shop after officers allegedly found cannabis, cigarettes from Virginia and bottles of Viagra. 

It’s not so easy, however, to curb the sale of a highly popular product that the unlicensed sellers offer at similar quality, and at lower cost, than licensed dispensaries. 

After New York legalized weed in March 2021, illegal dispensaries popped up all over the city. It’s easier to buy weed in New York than get a dinner reservation at some restaurants—even as the licensing process for state vendors stalls, caught up in regulations, two recent lawsuits and bureaucratic delays. There are nine government-approved dispensaries, compared to more than 1,000 illegal operations. 

Last Monday, the Joint Compliance Task Force to Address Illegal Smoke Shops, which is run out of the New York City Sheriff’s Office, sent letters to landlords of 50 buildings warning them they would soon face penalties if they didn’t evict tenants selling unlicensed weed. The fines start at $5,000 and go as high as $10,000 upon further violations.

“Our administration is using every tool available to protect young people and all New Yorkers from dangerous, illegal cannabis and tobacco products, while sending a clear message that anyone helping these illegal, unlicensed shops spread throughout our communities will be held accountable,” said Mayor Adams. “To support the emerging, legal cannabis market, we must go after the bad actors who are breaking the law. Our interagency task force is coming together to keep our communities safe.” 

New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban emphasized the NYPD’s role in shutting down the shops. “The New York City Police Department is committed to eradicating the unlicensed, illegal smoke shops that destabilize an emerging business interest and pose significant public safety and health risks in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs,” said Caban. “The NYPD remains focused on our city’s mission to protect New Yorkers and ensure that cannabis and tobacco regulations are properly recognized, accepted, and enforced.”

This isn’t the administration’s first effort to shut down the shops. In the two years since legalization, the city has conducted numerous raids and levied fines. The task force has handed out more than $7 million in penalties. But most stores reopen soon after a raid, as business appears good enough to offset the financial costs of fines. 

Following the recent raid in Hell’s Kitchen, the pot stores hung signs saying “Temporarily Closed by the Sheriff’s Office.” Hours later, The Cave—a shop on 39th Street that promises “smoke and convenience” —reopened.