(BROOKLYN, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and State Assemblyman Mike Tannousis called on New York City to crack down on illegally operating unlicensed marijuana dispensaries popping up next to residential homes, schools, and community centers in the Bay Ridge neighborhood.
“Unlicensed pot shops are beginning to show up next to our homes, schools, churches and community centers and it’s critically important for the city and the NYPD to enforce the law and shut these illegal operations down,” Congresswoman Malliotakis said. “With crime skyrocketing and drugs pouring across our porous southern border and into communities across America, the last thing we need is illegal dispensaries popping up on our street corners – especially when the products they are selling are not being regulated. The failure of our city to crack down on these illegal operations is putting the public’s health and quality of life at risk and they must be shut down immediately.”
In March 2021, the
Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed into law, however, New York has not administered any licenses, meaning all of the recreational marijuana dispensaries currently operating in the state are doing so illegally. Many shops are engaging in “
gifting-schemes,” and in some cases, shop workers are unsure of the drugs they are selling.
“When this bill was introduced in the State Assembly, the Republican Conference – including myself – was adamantly against this bill,” Assemblyman Michael Tannousis said. “We’re stuck in a situation where the message is sent to the general public that you’re allowed to smoke weed and you’re allowed to sell it. Now we have a store a few feet away from a school that has put up Halloween decorations. They’re next to a pizzeria where kids after school go and grab something to eat. Marijuana is now easily accessible to the general public illegally as well as to our children. What type of message are we sending to our kids?”
“Marijuana is an entrance drug – an entrance to something much more dangerous to our kids,” said former Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny. “This entrance drug, and the smell of it on every corner of our city, is a sign of degradation of the Democratic Party. Pay very serious attention to this process of legalization of marijuana because it’s very dangerous for our kids. All the state cares about when it legalizes marijuana is more money for the state. Why? Because they want to spend more. We cannot allow this to happen anymore.”
“I’m standing here as an angry parent, as a constituent, a born and raised Brooklynite, New Yorker, and American,” said Brooklyn resident Ted Ghorra. “When I walked down the street with my kids and their friends after school, right around the corner I’m looking at a store called New York City Stoners. When you see a store that’s decorated for Halloween and has very colorful packages in the window, it is not okay – legal or illegal. They pass all kinds of laws that have consequences and are harmful to us as citizens, for the sake of money or some ideology that just doesn’t work.”
Watch Malliotakis’ press conference
HERE.
Banner Image: Press Conference photo. Image Credit – Rep. Malliotakis
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was sworn in on January 3, 2021 to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn.
Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. In the Assembly, she served as Minority Whip and the ranking minority member of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees. For five terms, Congresswoman Malliotakis fought to restore ethics in Albany, expand transit service in her district, improve programs for senior citizens, reform education and improve New York’s economic climate by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and residents. A cornerstone of her tenure was helping her community recover and rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
In addition to advocating for these same issues in Washington, Congresswoman Malliotakis is acutely focused on securing New York’s fair share of federal mass transit funding, which would go towards expanding transportation services and easing traffic congestion, while also championing public safety by supporting our nation’s law enforcement officers.
Congresswoman Malliotakis is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. She is currently the only Republican member representing New York City in Congress, representing a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She is a passionate advocate for animal rights and the strengthening of animal cruelty laws, and in her spare time, enjoys spending time with her chihuahua, Peanut.
““Marijuana is an entrance drug”
Is this phrase used because gateway drug is shown to be BS?
Why not go after the guys dealing DOPE 24/7 the island. I mean the drug dealers peddling heroin everywhere.
Ms. Malliotakis, do this and I will vote for you over and over.
Weed? I mean, we have opiates to deal with. Please focus on that.
P.S. The DOPE is everywhere. Kids don’t need “gateway”drugs or “entrance” drugs. It is too easy for them to get their hands on the HARD and DEADLY stuff.
BTW, Ms. Malliotakis, many, many of your Conservative SI voters some the weed. Keep that in mind…
Even cops now…
So where are ppl supposed to buy it?
Backto the Jack of all trades drug dealer who’s also got the H?
The fault was the state law “legalizing” a Federally scheduled substance and THEN making it so it’s “legal” but no where to buy it.
Cannabis needs to be de-scheduled. Opium is ruining lives every day.
She won without your help. We don’t need your vote, Tom. You are a typical R who really is a D at heart. Clueless!
CANNABIS KILLS! This stepping stone drug is worse than heroin and that’s the real reason why it is Schedule I and heroin is Schedule II.
Cannabis makes the kids go loco and commie. It’s a proven fact. And it causes heart attacks, storks, mental disease.