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UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is proposing two local laws designed to crack down on unlicensed sales of cannabis and regulate retail sales of smoking paraphernalia.
Oneida County Deputy Attorney Andrew Dean summed up the Smoking Paraphernalia Retail Control Act.
“Actually, selling the products used to smoke or inhale tobacco or nicotine, that’s going to require a license,” Dean said.
That license will cost $2,500. And if the shop is selling cannabis, it’s an additional $2,500 license.
But Picente said that pales in comparison to the fines that would be imposed by the Oneida County Health Department for non-compliance.
“The fines and penalties for the unlawful sale of cannabis will begin at $2,500 each day for the first violation, $5000 each day for a second violation, and $10000 each day for a third violation or subsequent one with a maximum penalty of $25,000 per each unique instance of violation,” Picente said.
The license must be renewed every two years, and Picente said the proposed laws aim to cut down on the overall number of shops marketing to the County’s youth.
“Separate licenses will be required per location and retailers must be 1,000 feet or farther away from any school, park, daycare, or playground. They must also be spaced more than a quarter mile from any other smoking paraphernalia retailer,” Picente said.
The county executive said the health department has been going after shops selling cannabis without a license and is showing success in weeding them out.
“After they were cited, after we seized the paraphernalia, we never saw them again,” Picente said.
The proposed laws are scheduled to be introduced to the Oneida County Legislature on Oct. 9.
If passed, there would be a public hearing and the local law would need to be filed with the New York State secretary of state.
The law would then take effect 180 days after being filed.
”}]] Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is proposing two local laws designed to crack down on unlicensed sales of cannabis and regulate retail sales of smoking paraphernalia. Read More