Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is proposing legislation that would take aim at smoke shops, convenience stores and mostly illegal pot shops. One industry association is vehemently opposed to the new laws.

The legislation first introduced approximately one month ago, will be presented soon to the Oneida County Board of Legislators. Well, The New York State Association of Convenience Stores (NYASC) is pushing back hard on his ideas and hopes the county legislature will intervene. The association represents 1,600 store owners statewide and in Oneida County they represent nearly 150.

In a statement to the media, representatives of the NYASC outlined a list of reasons why they are against the proposed laws.

  • Establishes a new and excessive business-killing county license fee ($2,500+) that increases year after year. (the state licence is $200, making this new cost a 700-plus percent increase.)
  • Allows the County Department of Health to deny licenses not just based on non-compliance, but also if local SMOKING RATES DON'T DECREASE.
  • Imposes frivolous labor restrictions that restrict young adults from employment opportunities in our small businesses.

In a broader statement opposing the laws the NYASC states,

NYACS members are committed to ensuring that nicotine products do not end up in the hands of underage users. While the intention of reducing underage consumption is important, this legislation creates unintended consequences that would harm responsible business owners while doing little good for public health.

Basically, the association feels that this law distracts from real problems involving vaping and underage tobacco use.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said when he introduced the legislation,

The use of tobacco and nicotine is one of the greatest public health threats of our time, as it is linked to 13 types of cancer and 25 chronic diseases. While the use of cigarettes has fallen, the use of vapes and waterpipes has skyrocketed, particularly among young people. Studies show that smoke shops increase the use of tobacco and nicotine products, especially when they are located near schools. Cracking down on this access will go a long way to protecting our children.

The legislation will be presented to the Oneida County Board of Legislators on October 9th, 2024. It will then be voted on. The NYSAC hopes the laws are voted down.

A Look Inside Exit 31 Exotic, Utica's First Marijuana Dispensary

Townsquare Utica was on scene for the grand opening of Exit 31 Exotic, Utica's first officially licensed pot shop. The store is located at 255 Genesee Street in Downtown Utica.

Gallery Credit: Megan

10 Amazon Products Under Recall or Safety Alerts in New York

Amazon has a new feature that alerts customers of all recalls and safety alerts affecting products in their store. Here's 10 items that have recently been included in this list.

Gallery Credit: Amazon

The 5 Most Difficult Places to Live in New York State

GoBankingRates says you should avoid living in these 5 cities if you don't want to deal with crime.

Gallery Credit: Megan

More From Big Frog 104