NY Lawmakers Warn Landlords Are Liable For Illegal Cannabis Operations On Their Property

New York Assemblymember Grace Lee (D) and state Senator Brian Kavanagh (D) held a press conference on Thursday to address the recent spread of illegal cannabis stores in Lower Manhattan.

They announced an initiative to notify all landlords who are suspected of renting to illegal cannabis vendors of their potential legal and financial liability.

Under the New York State and City law, landlords are banned from knowingly renting to illegal smoke shops under penalty of recently increased fines. In the letters they sent to landlords, Lee and Kavanagh affirmed their commitment to work with local law enforcement, including the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, to ensure these penalties are enforced.

“When New York’s legislature set out to legalize cannabis, the goal was to create a safe, regulated industry that uplifts individuals who were disproportionately harmed by its criminalization,” stated Lee. “The proliferation of illegal, unlicensed stores in our community has undermined this goal – it has crowded out legal applicants and brought dangerous products and activities to our neighborhoods. Landlords are legally responsible for preventing illegal conduct on their property, and I plan to work with Senator Kavanagh and local enforcement agencies to hold them accountable. We are working to eliminate illegal cannabis stores as part of our larger effort to keep Lower Manhattan safe.”

This initiative comes in response to the huge increase in illegal cannabis stores in Lower Manhattan since New York legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021. These stores have raised frequent safety and quality-of-life concerns from residents and undermine New York’s goal to make the sale of cannabis equitable by prioritizing communities impacted by cannabis prohibition.

“The legalization of cannabis marked a monumental leap forward in our pursuit of equity and justice, however, it is imperative that we do not regress by allowing illegal smoke shops to dominate this emerging market,” Kavanagh said in a statement. “These illicit establishments not only jeopardize public health and safety by offering untested and unregulated products, but they also deceive the public by presenting their businesses and products as licensed and authorized, when they are not. Consequently, the closure of these operations is not only necessary but also an essential step towards realizing the full potential of New York's legal cannabis market.”

See Also: New York's $83M In Legal Weed Sales, More Shops & Licenses: Is The Rollout Stabilizing?

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