Press Room

"The mayor’s comments were more than politically damaging. They were dangerous, and could contribute to an increasingly hostile environment of xenophobia, which could ultimately threaten the safety of people who have come through unimaginable conditions seeking support. Whether the mayor meant for his words to be taken in that context, they have resonated in deeply harmful ways. Real concerns about resources, infrastructure, and frustrating federal inaction do not excuse words or attitudes that villainize our new and aspiring New Yorkers and Americans and pit people in need against one another. 

“The solution to a crisis created by bigoted conservative leaders is not to echo their rhetoric, but to refute it in words and actions. New York City has seen many waves of migration, has overcome many obstacles, and ultimately been stronger for it, including where there was no clear end in sight, such as the pandemic and more than one fiscal crisis. They did not “destroy New York City,” as some feared in the moment, partially because others tried to lead with hope and light. At the same time, turning people in need against one another could destroy the spirit with which New Yorkers unite and meet our moral obligation to support one another.”

The Public Advocate further discussed the comments and the migrant crisis this morning on The Brian Lehrer Show. Audio of his appearance is available here.

NEW YORK: As extensive delays continue in the licensing process for legal cannabis retailers in New York, unlicensed operators have sprung up across the city. At a hearing of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection on the topic, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams highlighted several concerns surrounding safety and equity related to these delays and retailers. In his statement, the Public Advocate stressed the safety concerns around unlicensed operators that may appear legitimate, including the potential sale to underage New Yorkers and the potential for unregulated products to be sold by such vendors.

“My greatest concern with these unlicensed retailers is that, along with being unlicensed, what is being sold is also unregulated,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “There is no uniform way to know what an individual is purchasing. Products sold in unlicensed shops often subvert state packaging laws that require clear testing information.”

Since the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, the state’s Cannabis Control Board has issued over 450 conditional adult-use licenses, yet less than 25 businesses are currently operating. In New York City, there are 9 licensed dispensaries, mostly in Manhattan. An injunction has further delayed the process for existing license holders. These delays have furthered the proliferation of unlicensed retailers.

At the hearing, the Public Advocate suggested potential pathways for retailers to legitimize their business and expedite the licensing process, including that “One other consideration in addressing this growing issue could be the legitimization of certain unlicensed retailers via transitional licenses, which would ultimately place them under state regulation and ensure health and safety guidelines are followed, and of course, that there are no sales to underage individuals,” continued the Public Advocate. “This expansion could be in collaboration with those who have been part of the legacy cannabis market, with a goal of directing profits and funds back in the hands of individuals and communities harmed by the so-called War on Drugs.”

The MRTA was designed to give priority of cannabis retail licenses to individuals who were most impacted previously by over-policing and unjust enforcement, providing them the first opportunities to be licensed retailers. In his statement, the Public Advocate, a longtime and vocal supporter of marijuana legalization, cautioned that enforcement against unlicensed retailers now must not replicate that cycle of incarceration. Equity in both licensing and enforcement remains critical.

Read the Public Advocate’s full comments at today’s hearing below.

TESTIMONY OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS TO THE  NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER  AND WORKER PROTECTION SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

Good morning, 

My name is Jumaane D. Williams and I am the Public Advocate for the City of New York. I would like to thank Chair Velázquez and members of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection for holding this hearing.

In 2021, New York State legalized adult-use cannabis, or recreational marijuana, through the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). The Act created the Office of Cannabis Management—governed by a Cannabis Control Board—which issues licenses for cannabis retail dispensaries and develops regulations on such businesses. This legislation was monumental in that it gave priority to justice-involved individuals affected by decades of over-policing and unjust and unfair drug laws and sentences, and offered them an opportunity to become licensed retailers. In December of 2022, a licensed dispensary operated by the non-profit Housing Works became the first in New York City to be open for business.

Nine months later, the rollout of dispensaries across the state has lagged, and is currently stalled. As of July 2023, the Cannabis Control Board issued over 450 conditional adult-use licenses, yet less than 25 businesses are currently operating. New York City has a significant portion of that share, with 9 licensed dispensaries throughout the city, mostly centered in Manhattan. Further delays have afflicted existing license holders due to an injunction blocking new dispensaries from opening and the state from further expanding the retail cannabis market under current licensing rules. Hundreds of licensees are in limbo, many of whom have invested ample time and money into legitimizing their businesses after experiencing the negative impacts of harsh cannabis laws.

In the wake of this lag in licensed dispensaries, numerous unlicensed cannabis retailers have proliferated. These retailers have existed long before the legalization of retail marijuana, and have been increasing, especially with a slow legal market that cannot meet demand throughout the city. My greatest concerns with these unlicensed retailers is that along with being unlicensed, what is being sold is also unregulated. There is no uniform way to know what an individual is purchasing. Products sold in unlicensed shops often subvert state packaging laws that require clear testing information. Further, an issue that is of increasing concern is the potential sale of these products to our young people. While it is my firm belief that incarceration is not the answer, we cannot repeat the wrongs we are seeking to address, enforcement is still needed for these unlicensed retailers. I recommend fines, I recommend verification of product, and closure of stores, and I gotta tell you, this is one of the few times almost all spectrums of politics are asking for some type of enforcement for these illegal dispensaries. One other consideration in addressing this growing issue could be the legitimization of certain unlicensed retailers via transitional licenses, which would ultimately place them under state regulation and ensure health and safety guidelines are followed, and of course, that there are no sales to underage individuals. This expansion could be in collaboration with those who have been part of the legacy cannabis market, with a goal of directing profits and funds back in the hands of individuals and communities harmed by the so-called War on Drugs.

New Yorkers, especially those justice-involved due to the possession or sale of marijuana, deserve an opportunity to legitimize their businesses and engage in a just economy for legal marijuana sales in New York. The city and the state should provide these opportunities to rectify decades of over-policing and mass incarceration. The state has to reconcile with the ongoing issues that led to the current injunction, and meet the equity requirements outlined by the MRTA. At the end of the day, there are nearly 500 licensees, and most of them are waiting for a chance to contribute to our economy, provide dignified jobs and career paths, and keep New Yorkers on track to support themselves, their families, and their communities. We must keep the licensing process flowing, identifying a system that works, and that seeks out justice and equity in a city, and what they can do. I’m thankful that they’re having this hearing. I did want to give a hat tip to the sheriff’s department for how they are executing, even from the pandemic, closing down illegal spaces, taking away weapons and I haven’t heard an incident being reported about how they're doing that. 

Thank you.

"I join New Yorkers in mourning the tragic loss of Ruschell Boone, a joyous journalistic presence on our streets and screens for decades. I pray for her family, her friends, and her colleagues at NY1 grieving in this moment.

"Beyond her reporting excellence, Ruschell was a symbol of strength and inspiration for so many, bravely sharing her story and struggles with cancer with New Yorkers. She was tireless and dauntless as she told the stories and uplifted the issues of people around our city– in moments of joy and pain alike. Today is certainly a moment of pain for all of us who knew her or her work.

"Even amid her battle with cancer, she brought light and energy. A Jamaican-American woman, I was always glad to see her celebrate Carnival with the entire Caribbean community. I missed her on the Parkway this year, and we will all miss her in our neighborhoods and on the airwaves."

"I’m grateful that there appear to have been no fatal shootings relating to celebrations of Labor Day, J’Ouvert, and the West Indian Day Parade – festivities often associated with and blamed for violence. At the same time, even one violent incident is one too many, and my thoughts are with those injured yesterday and their families.

"It is important to recognize the successes that save lives just as we recognize the tragedies that take them, and I want to thank everyone involved in protecting New Yorkers' safety this weekend. It is equally important to be clear about the most effective efforts that have led to decreased violence on Labor Day weekend over the last two years – not the technology in the skies, but the groups on the ground. This year’s celebration showed the importance of collaborative efforts in preventing violence, in particular by community organizations, who along with law enforcement play a role in violence prevention– in helping New Yorkers be and feel safe, and not to feel unjustly suspected or surveilled. We should learn the lessons of this weekend as we move forward in co-producing public safety."

"Throughout the protests in the summer of 2020, and many times since, we were told not to believe what we were seeing on video and experiencing on the ground when it came to overpolicing. Protests against abuse by law enforcement were met with abuse by law enforcement. I thank the Attorney General, as well as The Legal Aid Society and New York Civil Liberties Union, for pushing for crucial accountability. 

"Fortunately, this settlement seems to both acknowledge the reality of the harm done and create a framework for preventing it in the future. Focusing on de-escalation in the moment and clear accountability for misconduct will be essential in ensuring that these patterns of protest policing do not continue. It is also vital that measures are put in place to protect the safety and the freedom of the press of media outlets. Many of the stories that came out of these protests would never have been known without the transparency and accountability that reporters on the ground provide. 

"The reforms in this settlement are key, but only if they are properly implemented and enforced. Moving forward, my office will work to help ensure that the new measures, and the rights of New Yorkers to make their voices heard, are upheld."

"With thousands of New Yorkers dying each year, it’s not enough to be aware of overdoses, we need to do all we can to prevent them.

"Overdose Prevention Centers save lives. Each intervention is another life saved, another chance for someone in dire need. Governor Hochul now has a chance and obligation to provide the authorization and funding needed to protect and expand the work being done. Every day of delay, more people are dying, and it's unconscionable to wait any longer to do what’s right and what works. The 'war on drugs' approach to prevention has been an ineffective injustice. 

"Misconceptions and mischaracterizations about the role, impact, and operation of overdose prevention centers are pervasive. If everyone could witness the harm reduction model in action, the level of care, humanity, community, and lifesaving results that emanate from these centers, they would join me in saying that we need more hours, more centers, and more funding to support their efforts to intervene in preventable tragedies."