Nassau County residents sound alarm over marijuana shop opening on Queens border
NEW HYDE PARK, Long Island (WABC) -- A vacant Citi Bank in Queens will soon transform to a legally-owned marijuana shop. However, just across a bustling Union Turnpike in bordering New Hyde Park under the town of North Hempstead, cannabis shops are not allowed.
Robert Thomas of New Hyde Park makes up some of the North Hempstead town residents who are against opening Herb Hub LLC dispensary inside the empty building.
"Myself, I'm just totally against it. It's going to cause accidents, it's going to cause problems, especially kids get out of school. This is a family-oriented neighborhood," Thomas said.
There are similar senitments shared by North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena.
"To put a store right here, right across from the town of North Hempstead flies in the face of the law, the law that gave us the ability to choose to opt out of selling commercial marijuana," said DeSena.
It is not just North Hempstead - all three towns in Nassau County chose to opt out of allowing legal cannabis shops after New York State made it legal in 2021.
"If we don't do anything to protect that, we're going to have a corridor of marijuana stores on the edge of the city here looking out and beckoning the kids of Nassau County to come and shop here," DeSena added.
With this second marijuana shop set to open in the area, North Hempstead's town supervisor says she is calling on Governor Kathy Hochul for help.
"I want to ask Governor Hochul to respect the wishes of her suburban constituents as much as the city constituents and to now allow commercial marijuana within a one-mile buffer of those areas that legally chose to opt out of selling commercial marijuana," DeSena said.
About a mile down along the Nassau Border on Hillside Avenue near Langdale Street in Queens, Green Flower Wellness just opened on February 10. The managers say marijuana shops have a bad stigma.
"I'm a father myself. I have a teenager, so, and I live in Nassau County, but I am involved in this business for a reason because this is a state-certified business," said Sid Patel.
"If people are really concerned, it's what's being sold on the street that should be a concern. It's not lab-tested," added Kush Patel.
Sid Patel says there are many checks and balances put by the state to make sure any product is not being handed to teenagers or anybody younger than 21 - like a security guard at the front door to check ID.
DeSena says that is not enough.
"Anyone can get a fake ID or go into the store or ask someone to go into the store and buy marijuana for them," she says.
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