Thousands of unlicensed cannabis vapes, edibles and pre-rolled joints will soon meet their end in an incinerator — burned not for a mind-numbing haze but to destroy unregulated products confiscated by police.
New York authorities seized more than $1.3 million of cannabis products from two unlicensed Rochester-area smoke shops this month. The raid was part of ongoing efforts to weed out and shut down illicit dispensaries operating across the state. New York legalized its adult-use cannabis industry in 2021.
So, what’s all the fuss about?
“I use the analogy with the state liquor authority all the time,” said Daniel Haughney, the director of enforcement and investigations for the state Office of Cannabis Management. “You don’t see unlicensed bars or taverns out in the wild … Obviously we’re still a nascent industry in New York state, but that being said, we have to make sure that the people that are selling cannabis products are licensed and doing it the legal, proper way.”
Authorized dispensaries must follow cleanliness, testing, potency and marketing standards and are routinely inspected by state regulators. Haughney said illicit shops often flout those rules and sell to minors or market products above legal THC limits, creating public safety risks.
Photographs shared from the recent Rochester raid show chocolate bars sold with 1,000 mg of THC ― more than ten times the legal package limit.
How do state authorities find illicit cannabis dispensaries?
Investigations into illicit dispensaries often start with community complaints, Haughney said. The state agency will send undercover investigators to gather information before pursuing regulatory inspections, search warrants and closure orders.
Targeted shops have the right to challenge the closures in court. If an administrative law judge upholds the state’s findings, the closure order remains in place for one year. The shop may reopen sooner if a landlord can prove they have evicted the troublesome tenant.
“Nothing will reopen without proof that there is absolutely no illegal cannabis sales going on there anymore,” Haughney said.
All seized cannabis is held in a secure evidence warehouse for at least one year or until there are no further court proceedings expected from the case. The cannabis is then destroyed in an incinerator.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on immigration, police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Why NY is destroying seized cannabis from Rochester smoke shops
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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