New York cannabis regulators shut down unlicensed businesses ahead of market launch

Marijuana regulators in New York have sent dozens of cease and desist letters to companies accused of illegally selling marijuana.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) explains why these companies receive reports and clarifies that police involvement is not a priority. They allege that these stores, implying that they sell legal cannabis, do not follow state rules and regulations governing the sale of cannabis, exposing the public to the risk of consuming untested products while confusing them.

Photo by Anton Petrus/Getty Images

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The cease and desist letters serve as a warning and have been sent to 52 companies whose chances of getting a license (once they become available) could decrease if they continue to sell weed.

“You need a license to sell cannabis in New York. Licensed sales and a regulated marketplace are the only way New York consumers can be assured that the cannabis products they purchase have been tested and tracked from seed to sale,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of the New York Cannabis Control Board.

“Selling untested products puts lives at risk,” she added. “I am calling on these illegal shopkeepers and any other business pretending to be a legitimate business to stop selling cannabis products immediately.”

Illegal cannabis businesses in New York have thrived over the past year, popping up in a variety of locations in the form of pop-ups, weed trucks, and more. While a legal cannabis market has yet to be established, the state has decriminalized marijuana and allowed adults over the age of 21 to possess and publicly use cannabis. They also allow them to give cannabis away to others as long as people do not receive money or compensation in return.

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Responsible parties are asking cannabis sellers for patience, especially as the state steps in and tries to prioritize those harmed by the war on drugs. They are urging communities to be open and help identify illegal sellers while police remain as uninvolved as possible.

Companies that received cease and desist letters were reprimanded without police intervention or threats of arrest.