New York’s Massive Cannabis Gray Market Could Cost The State $2.6 Billion In Lost Taxes By The End Of The Decade

  • 📰 Forbes
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 67 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 30%
  • Publisher: 53%

Australia News News

Australia Australia Latest News,Australia Australia Headlines

According to a new report, with only four licensed cannabis dispensaries in the Empire State and more than 1,400 unlicensed pot shops, the Wild West of Weed will lose billions in revenue if it doesn't stop the lawlessness soon.

HOW AMERICA BOTCHED CANNABIS LEGALIZATION

As for the criticism that OCM’s focus on social equity and the slow rollout of the licensed market is effectively helping the unlicensed market take root on seemingly every corner of Manhattan and the other four boroughs, Kagia says doing the right thing takes time. “The state would generate about $200 million per year with 20% of the existing smoke shops converting to a transitional license,” says Paula Collins, an attorney who represents unlicensed dispensaries.

The real issue at hand is that some of the unlicensed shops, especially those operating as private clubs with modest “membership fees,” have a sound legal argument thanks to a loophole, or a “safe harbor provision,” depending on your perspective, in the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act that allows their unlicensed businesses to operate legally.

“I estimate that the state would generate about $180 million to $200 million per year with 20% of the existing smoke shops converting to a transitional license,” says Collins. “The way I see it is that the unlicensed market has always been here, and these transactions have always occurred. But it’s really the state that’s not making the overtures to the unlicensed market, which I think would really solve a lot of problems and put money in the pockets of the state and the city.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 394. in AU
 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

What is 😂😂😂

Those four licensed dispensaries are an oasis for a cannabis user who wants clean tested products in one of the richest cities on Earth. They can easily compete w/ the street, even with undue tax burden 280E (which I may know a partial 'work-around' for).

Prohibition has been a devastating failure, and the ongoing reforms fall so short of addressing reality that it's beyond pathetic. Like Cali, NY is setting up it's 'legal' system to fail miserably in its effort to tame the illegal market. Over-regulation + big taxes = inept.

Australia Australia Latest News, Australia Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Jessica Alba talks building The Honest Company empireIn this Sunday Sitdown lookback, actor and businesswoman Jessica Alba joins Willie Geist to talk about the clean consumer goods brand she founded a decade ago called The Honest Company. “When I had my baby she really changed the context of my life and my priorities, and I really just thought about my life choices and purpose and legacy differently,” Alba says. WillieGeist jessicaalba Honest Chris Wallace already did this.
Source: TODAYshow - 🏆 389. / 55 Read more »