Steuben County is getting proactive in curbing illicit cannabis sales. The county recently passed a local law that authorizes it to inspect businesses for unlicensed or indirect retail sales of cannabis and cannabis products. The legislation is aimed directly at "sticker stores" that began exploiting a loophole in the law after New York state decriminalized cannabis in 2021.
Jack Wheeler, Steuben County Manager, said if a business is selling or gifting cannabis, or anything packaged as cannabis without a state license, Steuben County now has the ability to fine them, take them to court and shut them down.
"If they remain open there is the ability to padlock the store," Wheeler said. "This is a brand-new law, and we heard at a recent State Association of Counties meeting that we are the only county or city at this point to adopt a local law."
The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and local law enforcement have shut down several illegal cannabis shops in Steuben, Chemung and Allegany counties in recent months, but some quickly reopened.
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