QUESTION
What measures can be taken to prevent convenience stores from illegally selling contraband and paraphernalia?
0:52:25
·
124 sec
Council Member Paladino expresses concern about illegal smoke shops and businesses selling contraband while operating under the guise of convenience stores in her district.
- She states these illegal businesses quickly reopen after being shut down
- She asks what guidelines can be implemented during the application process to restrict illegal sales
- The Chief of Staff for the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) responds that SBS focuses on helping legal businesses open
- SBS also has an initiative to support licensed cannabis shops
Vickie Paladino
0:52:25
Here's something for you It seems that illegal businesses such as smoke shops are thriving.
0:52:33
These are cash businesses that are selling illegal products.
0:52:38
What is a motivator for a limit a legitimate business to open?
0:52:43
When there are so many unfair quality businesses, quantity of businesses opening.
0:52:50
Here, in my district, I have over 30 smoke shops.
0:52:56
And I work with Anthony Miranda.
0:52:58
We did bus on them.
0:52:59
I mean, we we really we hit these places hot.
0:53:04
And yet within 4 hours they're open again, but they open under the guise of a convenience store.
0:53:13
Because when you go in, it's, you know, ice cream and lollipops and bags of chips.
0:53:21
What can you do on your end knowing that these businesses are illegal?
0:53:27
Can we do anything as far as when somebody comes to you with a convenience store, wants to open a convenience store.
0:53:34
What kind of guidelines can we put in?
0:53:38
To try to restrict them selling the paraphernalia that they're selling and ultimately under the desk and under the other place.
0:53:48
You know, 1000 and 1000 of dollars of illegal contraband.
Tian Weinberg
0:53:54
Again, this is a really important question, and so thank you for asking it.
0:53:58
At SBS, you know, we're really focused on helping legal businesses open.
Vickie Paladino
0:54:02
I do.
Tian Weinberg
0:54:03
And we also, you know, do tangentially touch this through our cannabis NY C Initiative, which is focused on helping legal, licensed, cannabis shops.
Vickie Paladino
0:54:13
Yeah.
0:54:13
They're coming to now.
0:54:14
I have to.
0:54:16
The level of they came to see me first.
0:54:18
Everything was really done, you know, the right way.
0:54:22
So I'm very happy about that.
Tian Weinberg
0:54:24
That's really
Jessica Boulet
0:54:24
good to hear.
Vickie Paladino
0:54:25
And they their goal is to see these illegal shops close down.
