Yesterday was 4/20, and we’re giving a shout-out to some local stores who found out the hard way that you can’t just sell marijuana and other illicit products like it’s an open-air fruit stand.
We love our local businesses that make a positive impact on our community. What we don’t love are “smoke shops,” masquerading as neighborhood tobacco stores, but who are illegally selling marijuana and related products without proper licenses, often to minors.
In November of 2023, 4th Precinct Officers arrested staff at a smoke shop on Lake Avenue for selling illicit products to a 14-year-old girl in a school uniform. At that point, we knew we had to take aggressive action to get ahead of this problem. Under the Direction of Mayor Spano and Police Commissioner Sapienza, we partnered with our friends at the Yonkers Fire Department, Department of Housing and Buildings, Code Enforcement, and Corporation Counsel and set out to address mounting community complaints for smoke shops that were illegally selling marijuana and other illicit products.
Since early 2024, our Task Force has conducted several dozen inspections citywide. During those inspections, we issued over 100 summonses and seized marijuana packaged for sale as well as tens of thousands of illicit items worth about $500,000. We’ve also permanently shut down 3 stores that were deemed public nuisances due to their excessive code violations and drug sales.
We welcome and support local businesses, but don’t think you’re going to come to our city and sell marijuana without proper licensing- especially to our kids.
