Things NYC enforces: Parking Things NYC doesn't enforce: Everything else — alee on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

Can never have too many wine bars! Greek wines are among some of the most exciting these days IMO, really looking forward to this. — FiDiGuy on Wine bar coming to the Terra space at Franklin

“ Marijuana is still a drug that carries most of the same health risks as tobacco products” This is a false statement — Alice B on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

I do not care that customers are not getting the "high" they paid for. I do care that myriad unlicensed, unregulated sellers of adulterated drugs are allowed to operate with impunity because of political correctness, miscommunication, and bureaucratic stupidity & shortsightedness. — James on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

Great!! Keeping the business alive after such bumps in the road. Keep going Chris and keep your dads legacy alive. Love the neighborhood coming together for local shops that have been there for decades!! — John on Gee Whiz is rebuilding its dining sheds

Weed shops are proliferating on the UES like cockroaches. Most stores (sometimes 2 on a block) have the exact type signage and lighting. It would seem to indicate there's an organized (possibly crime) syndicate involved. If they follow the money we'd find out who's behind most of these weed shops. But it's obvious the NYPD is cracking down because the big corporate & political players expect their lion's share of the legal market. 150 licenses going are being "awarded" to businesses & 25 to non-profits. Of course, we'll never know the details on the "winners" and how they beat out over 1000 applicants :) On another entrepreneur note: Canal Street has a burgeoning open air weed market. I've spotted huge African baskets filled to the brim with full quart mason jars filled with weed. Street vendors openly roll and sell spliffs & blunts on tables. Under de Blasio and and now Adams we can expect more Vision Zero. — Rob on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

That study was bogus. It was paid for by the legal weed industry and mostly focused on weed, which is a huge problem in legal weed and used Weed World as one of the samples, when the owners will tell you they sell 0% THC "weed" (aka garbage) — Bob on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

Seems like a good match for this space. Welcome to neighborhood! — Marcus on Wine bar coming to the Terra space at Franklin

It is called Edoardo’s Trattoria and the residents of Huntington (myself included!) are so so wonderfully delighted to have them. I hope you all can come out on the LIRR to see the latest spot. It’s a delight. — Lauren on Sole di Capri has closed

Wow... Thank you for updating with that link... Sad to see this is happening but pretty much what one would expect with illegal stores. Mayor Adams, if the city really cares about "The Health of it's Citizens" (your very recent speech) .. it should be moving NYPD over to shut down these illegal unlicensed operations and allow only properly licensed businesses with safe legal merchandise to remain in operation. Sadly I feel this is all one big money grab for the state and the city.. they don't really care about the repercussions to the citizenry ... — Rohin on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

NY State politicians could not and/or would not anticipate the spread of illegal sales of marijuana (outside the state's poorly-defined fantasy regime of regulated sales) once they failed to distinguish legalization (and regulation) from simple decriminalization. "[...] When New York became the 15th state to legalize cannabis last year, lawmakers saw an opportunity to reverse past wrongs. They expunged certain marijuana-related criminal records and offered priority on marijuana business licenses to “justice-involved people” with prior weed convictions. "Against that backdrop, lawmakers hesitated to throw the book at those now caught selling cannabis without a license and gave hazy enforcement instructions to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management. " 'Since we didn’t think this was going to happen, we didn’t put anything in the bill that gave OCM and the police departments very clear-cut rules of the road to close them down,' said state Sen. Liz Krueger, a sponsor of the bill to legalize recreational cannabis. [...] "Earlier this year, a bill stalled in Albany that would have strengthened penalties for illicit cannabis sales and clarified the OCM’s role in enforcement. Some lawmakers were concerned that the measure established new criminal penalties. [...]" https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/13/california-black-market-weed-new-york-00066470 — james on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

https://nypost.com/2022/11/30/hordes-of-illegal-cannabis-shops-invade-nyc/ "[...] The survey, conducted by the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association — in concert with the NJ Cannabis Trade Association and Connecticut Medical Cannabis Council — bought cannabis products from 20 unlicensed stores that publicly advertise selling marijuana, and had the products tested by an independent lab. " The lab results found the presence of potentially deadly E. coli, salmonella, heavy metals and pesticides in many products. " About 40% of the THC products failed at least one of the standard tests administered to legal cannabis products and only available at legal medical cannabis dispensaries, the study found. " The lab results also found an example of THC levels more than twice as advertised — with gummy bears labeled at 100 mg of THC at one shop testing at 204.77 mg, the survey alleges. [...]" — james on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

The other concern as you note is the source of the products being sold at these stores. There have been quite a few New Yorker's who have been adversely affected by recreational drugs laced with far more powerful drugs - which the users did not know.... Who knows what is actually in the product you are buying in these stores... the stores are not licensed.. and obviously one can gather quite quickly that they are not buying from licensed producers... So this could quickly turn into a rather scary health issue as well. The NYPD needs to start knocking on some doors... — Rohin on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

The City has no authority in this matter. From the Post article: "[...] the regulations permit pot dispensaries to locate within 500 feet of schools. Pot retailers will, in fact, have easy access to young smokers. California and Colorado, both legal-pot early adopters, set the limit at 1,000 feet. Better for the board to let localities decide for themselves, but a special section limits local rule-making. [...]" — james on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

I believe our city council who we voted in asked for this, you know how this city works, progressives suggest a bill, gets passed without vetting from constituents, the law is loosely worded, Voila! chaos on the streets, citizens ask how did we get here? — S on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

State has authorized very few licensed dealerships so far and so most of these are probably not legal. Would be helpful if someone at the State posted the legally authorized dealerships on a website.. simple solution. I felt this was a slippery slope to begin with and the implementation and enforcement only reinforces that feeling. Frankly I don't care what people do in the privacy of their own homes ... but this situation is not going to end well.. — Rohin on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

The ongoing normalization and legalization of this drug seems like a serious regression. A step backwards in public health. Makes no sense. Also, increasingly the city smells like a skunk. The smoke gets into our apartment from the street, even with windows closed. Such a vile smell, which gives me instant headaches. I would prefer cigarette smoke to this nauseating odor. — Marcus on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

Looks fantastic! Welcome to the neighborhood! — Marcus on New Gallery on the Block: Galerie56

I have no idea how the city allows this given how it treats the advertisement and sale of cigarettes and vaping products to kids. Marijuana is still a drug that carries most of the same health risks as tobacco products. And yet these stores look trashy candy shops, often also selling snacks, candy, and other products that would lure teenagers in. I think most of us in NYC were all for reforms that stopped people who used marijuana from going to jail, and I think many of all were also on board with legalization. But I really don't know who asked for this. Weed being sold in a controlled, pharamacy-like environment where it's treated like any other OTC drug? Totally fine. But these stores are like the gross, tacky shops that used to populate Times Square in the 80s and early 90s. The ones that the city tried so hard to get rid of to improve the quality of life. And now if feels like we've taken several steps in the wrong direction. And to what end? As I said above, who asked for this? — James S on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

https://nypost.com/2022/11/30/nys-cannabis-control-board-is-failing-job-one-protect-public-safety/ "[...] New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act passed more than a year and a half ago, but even as illegal weed shops and public puffing proliferate, the Cannabis Control Board has yet to adopt final regulations. " Worse still, its 282 pages of draft language pay far more attention to “social and economic equity rules” — including prioritizing licenses for convicted drug dealers — than to what should be the board’s core mission: protecting public safety as the state rolls out a dangerous drug." Read the full article to see all the ways that SLA-type regulation here is totally absent and deprioritized. — james on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

I get this, but at the same time, beggars can’t be choosers. Walk around Tribeca and it is still pretty bleak with plenty of empty storefronts (the worst streets being Church and Broadway IMO). The combination of pandemic-recession, shift to e-commerce and WFH has been brutal for retail. Sticky rents probably don’t help either (I just wish landlords would take a look up and down the street at all the vacancies before raising rent). I don’t want the neighborhood completely filled with smoke shops either but at some level something is better than nothing? — FiDiGuy on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

I WAS JUST THINKING THIS!! I saw a new one on Broadway where a pharmacy used to be between Murray and Warren. A guy kept yelling, "$35 for an eighth". I'm not against marijuana sales, but I don't want to see any neighborhood overrun by them for the exact reason you describe, it's like having an all night bar and bar scene. Thanks for reporting on it. — B.Thompson on Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops

Pure Paws Vet Care is also expanding to 350 Hudson Street in January. — Steph on Veterinarian coming to 200 Chambers

What a beautiful space. — G on New Gallery on the Block: Galerie56

I always get a good meal at Gee Whiz (usually two meals because the portions are so generous). The staff are friendly and remember regulars too. Different strokes for different folks. — JB on Gee Whiz is rebuilding its dining sheds