Page 12 - The Indian EYE 053025

COMMUNITY OP-ED MAY 30, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

Shutting Down Shops Selling Illegal

Products and Opening Doors to

Opportunity for Legal Cannabis Industry

“Operation Padlock to Protect” is not only about protecting our kids from harmful products

and keeping our communities safe. It is about making sure that illegal smoke shops do not

take away valuable storefront space from legal businesses trying to do it the right way

ERIC ADAMS

hen we came into office in
2022, illegal smoke shops
Wwere popping up all around
the city. No matter what community
you talked to, no matter what bor-
ough you visited, New Yorkers were
fed up. Illegal smoke and cannabis
shops were cutting the line — hurting
hard-earned legal cannabis business-
es, selling products that target our NYC administration is beginning to unseal padlocked storefronts so that they can re-open as legal businesses like pizzerias, barber shops, retail
most vulnerable populations like chil-
dren, and contributing to the feeling stores, and more (Agency file photo)
that anything goes on our streets.
Our administration knew it had We are beginning to unseal these But we’re not only shutting down
Every day, our administration
to stop. We went to Albany to advo- padlocked storefronts so that they illegal smoke shops; we’re helping works hard to make New York City
cate to get the power to shut these can re-open as legal businesses like support our city’s legal cannabis in-
illegal businesses down. And in May pizzerias, barber shops, retail stores, dustry as well. The legal cannabis in- safer, more affordable, and the best
place to raise a family. This includes
2024, we launched “Operation Pad- and more. I recently visited one of dustry is a budding economic oppor- closing illegal smoke shops, driv-
lock to Protect” to weed out the bad these stores — Salsa Pizza Napo- tunity for New York City, especially ing down crime for five quarters in
actors after being given that authority. letana — in Brooklyn. The owner, for those disproportionately impact- a row, creating a record number of
One year later, we have turned Mike Bancale, told me, “Everything ed by the ‘War on Drugs.’ Our admin-
small businesses, and improving New
the tide. Thanks to our efforts, we started probably 16 years ago in Italy istration supports those legal entre- Yorkers’ quality of life.
have closed nearly 1,400 illegal can- where me and my best friend, Anton- preneurs through our Cannabis NYC As we approach the one-year
nabis shops and removed $95 million ella, met, then decided to move to Loan Fund, which has disbursed over mark of “Operation Padlock to
in illegal products from our streets. the States with almost nothing. Sal- $500,000 to support early-stage can- Protect” and unseal stores across
But “Operation Padlock to Protect” sa [Pizza Napoletana] is the actual nabis businesses since October 2024. the city, we will continue to enforce
is not only about protecting our kids dream that came true.” Soon, we will have distributed $2 mil- the law and make sure that these
from harmful products and keeping This small business embodies the lion in total. With legal cannabis sales storefronts re-open as safe, legal
our communities safe. It is about spirit of New York City. It’s a vibrant last year topping $350 million and businesses of all kinds for families to
making sure that illegal smoke shops multi-cultural enterprise, with part- over 160 legal dispensaries currently shop at and enjoy.
do not take away valuable storefront ners from Italy and Latin America. It open across the five boroughs, our
space from legal businesses trying to creates great jobs for the community city’s legal cannabis industry is off to Eric Adams is the Mayor of
do it the right way. and serves great food. a promising start. New York City, NY

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