New York Pot Shops Seek Exception After State Miscalculates School Proximity

State's Calculation Error Impacts Legal Cannabis Shops

• 🎯 Dozens of legal cannabis shops in New York are facing closure due to a misinterpretation of a law regarding their proximity to schools.
• 💡 The state's Office of Cannabis Management mistakenly calculated the distance from the property line of a school instead of its front door.
• 💸 Owners who invested life savings are livid about the potential impact on their businesses and thousands of employees.

Calls for Grandfathering and Legislative Solutions

• 🏛️ Councilwoman Gail Brewer advocates for grandfathering in the affected shops, arguing the state's error should not penalize businesses.
• 🗣️ Shop owners highlight the irony of the state's concern over proximity to schools while a liquor store operates directly across the street from one.
• 📈 There is concern that closing legal stores will lead to a resurgence of illegal, unregulated cannabis sales.

Proposed Solutions and Owner Demands

• ⏳ The state's proposed solution of not ruling on license renewals in the fall is deemed insufficient by owners, as it prevents them from securing loans and bank notes.
• 📜 Owners are urging the governor to pass or support legislation that would grandfather them in.
• 📅 A bill to address this issue was introduced in the Senate by Bronx Senator Luis Sepúlveda, but its timeline for consideration is uncertain.