PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jeffrey Hoffman, Attorney at Jeffrey Hoffman & Associates PLLC, on NYC Cannabis Enforcement and Industry Development
2:45:38
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3 min
Jeffrey Hoffman, an attorney specializing in legal New York Cannabis, provided testimony on the state of cannabis enforcement and industry development in NYC. He addressed the impact of enforcement efforts on illicit stores and suggested improvements for the legal cannabis industry.
- Hoffman emphasized the need for continued enforcement against illicit stores, which are adapting to avoid closure.
- He recommended creating a dialogue between the city and cannabis attorneys to address industry issues proactively.
- Hoffman proposed establishing 24-hour nightlife districts for cannabis sales and focusing on expungement and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry.
Jeffrey Hoffman
2:45:38
Good afternoon.
2:45:39
My name is Jeffrey Hoffman.
2:45:41
I'm an attorney here in New York City.
2:45:43
My law firm focuses entirely on legal New York Cannabis, and we have hundreds of clients in the legal cannabis industry, both here in the city and across the state.
2:45:54
While I prepared longer written comments for your review, which I've shared with you, I wanted to share this brief assessment of the state of New York Cannabis with you in person, both addressing enforcement and 2 other critical issues that I believe need to be addressed.
2:46:09
As to enforcement, the efforts are finally having an impact.
2:46:13
But there is a long way to go.
2:46:15
While a number of illicit stores have been shut down, there is still a huge number of illicit stores open across the city.
2:46:23
And as have been discussed here earlier today, We have now entered the cat and mouse part of the program.
2:46:30
Elisabeth stores are remaining closed during the day and reopening at night in order to avoid the enforcement efforts while others are cutting the padlocks with the sheriff puts on their doors and reopening within days and sometimes even hours of being shut down.
2:46:45
You are on the right path.
2:46:47
Do not let your initial efforts result in complacency.
2:46:51
To that end, I strongly encourage the city to set up a regular dialogue with the members of the cannabis bar here in the city.
2:47:00
We attorneys are on the front lines of what is happening, and we can help you head off problems and craft solutions to issues that you will not be aware of until it is too late.
2:47:12
For example, we in the cannabis bar have been saying for over 2 years that strong enforcement measures would be required to have a significant impact on illicit cannabis businesses.
2:47:24
This is not Monday morning quarterbacking.
2:47:27
We were saying this during practice on Thursday.
2:47:30
I encourage the city to create a standing task force perhaps under an expanded cannabis NYC and the excellent work that DeFita Dawson and her team are doing to coordinate efforts on the issues which will impact the cannabis industry here.
2:47:47
Next, we need to revisit the concept of 24 hour nightlife districts in the city.
2:47:52
At one point, the office of nightlife explored this, and it's a concept being deployed in other cities around the world.
2:47:59
And I believe it's an idea whose time has come for us here in New York City.
2:48:03
Most significantly, While New York's cannabis regulations generally prevent sales of cannabis from 2 AM to 8 AM, they go on to say that this is true, quote, unless given express written permission by such municipality or the municipality passes a local law authorizing it to operate during such hours.
2:48:23
Hits, we could enable such stores to be open 24 hours in specific districts established for nightlife.
2:48:29
This would be a game changing aspect for nightlife in our city.
2:48:33
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need to consider all of the existing and emerging justice issues related to cannabis legalization in New York, namely expungement and employment.
2:48:44
We must assist all city residents in clearing their records of cannabis convictions and need to focus on bringing real economic opportunity to those that were impacted by anti cannabis enforcement.
2:48:56
While there will be thousands of cannabis license in New York, there will be hundreds of thousands of cannabis related jobs.
2:49:02
This is where we need to focus our efforts, and I discussed this in more detail in my written comments.
2:49:07
In closing, I again want to thank you for inviting me to speak here today.
2:49:12
I have often said that new Amsterdam is the new Amsterdam.
2:49:17
We have a unique opportunity to be the cannabis capital of the world here in New York City, and I look forward to working with all of you to make that happen.
2:49:25
Thank you very much.
