There are not many illegal smoke shops hanging on, but one in particular is making nearby residents crazy: Canal Smoke Shop, on the southeast corner of Canal and Church, has a street bazaar that resembles the counterfeit market on Canal and Broadway, but with unlicensed cannabis sellers instead.

Neighbors were elated when it closed in September, shut down by the sheriff, but it is back in force. “They are selling weed on the street at 7 in the morning, and I had to cross Canal to avoid a fist fight among the group of men that congregate there,” wrote. “Is there anything we can do as citizens to clear out that smoke shop?”

Chris Marte’s office said they will get involved on any of these issues, and will alert the Sherriff’s Office to shut it down — in fact, Marte’s director of public affairs, Simon Kostelanetz, said he would make them aware of this one right away. Contact the office if you have others in mind.

Residents can also report stores themselves at smokeshopcomplaints@sheriff.nyc.gov. or call 311 to report an unlicensed cannabis shop, or report it through this state portal: https://cannabis.ny.gov/report-an-incident

Landlords can also now be fined, which might be a smart way to pursue it.

Of course that leaves the illegal sellers, which will be another matter. I assume they do not have the cannabis on them when they are on the corner? But for sure, selling on the street is still illegal.