Illegal pot shops in New York City persist

Since The Post first highlighted the rise of illegal pot shops two years ago, they continue to plague the city. These shops openly defy the law, operating in plain sight in every neighborhood.

Currently, the city only has 34 legally licensed shops, but they face stiff competition from illegal shops that blend in seamlessly with the legitimate ones. The state Office of Cannabis Management has no idea about the total number of illegal shops operating in the city.

Despite the city’s efforts to shut down these illegal stores, some manage to reopen quickly after being raided by the police, as seen recently in Queens. Efforts to target the landlords of these shops might yield better results in the future.

The root cause of this issue lies in the faulty legalization law passed by the Legislature and then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, which unintentionally provided protection to black-market dealers. This loophole allows shady shop owners to openly break the law without fear of consequences.

To her credit, Governor Hochul has announced several measures to combat the spread of illegal pot shops, including higher fines and easier procedures for law enforcement to close down these establishments. However, the Legislature is not in a hurry to pass any new laws, prioritizing criminal leniency over neighborhood protection.

These illegal shops not only attract crime but also occupy storefront space that could be used by legitimate businesses to benefit the community. The normalization of criminal enterprises operating openly sends a troubling message that law enforcement is unable or unwilling to take action.

After two years, residents are powerless to address the blight on their neighborhoods, with little support from New York’s leaders.