New York City's first legal weed dispensary opened to much fanfare on Thursday, but the high is dampened by the fact dozens of shops have already been selling weed across the city for more than a year. Several of the stores within just a few blocks of the first licensed dispensary, Housing Works Cannabis Co., said on Friday that they knew they were operating outside the law - and would continue regardless.
NYPD has admitted that police officers are essentially powerless to stop the illegal shops from operating.
The bizarre situation means that while the opening of the first licensed store marks a symbolic step in New York City's legalization of weed, it seems materially insignificant.
New Yorkers have been able to walk into bricks and mortar stores to buy cannabis since it was legalized for recreational use in March 2021. Many delis and convenience stores also stock weed.
As one unlicensed store worker put it: 'Joke 'em if they can't take a fuck. I'm not gonna stop sellin' smoke just 'cause some jerkoff around the corner has a license to do it. Fuck them.'
I would totally lose my shit if this turned into a NYC version of "Moonshiners vs. Revenoors" and some new motorsport came out of this, like the origins of NASCAR.
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