Queens NY - Robberies at Smoke Shops Point to the Dangers of Running a Marijuana Business in the City

During the past few weeks, the New York Police Department has responded to more than a few robberies at smoke shops in the city. The office of Cannabis Management has also sent cease-and-desist letters to 14 smoke shops in New York City. These incidents point to the dangers of running a marijuana business in a city with a heavy focus on tobacco.

While some of the robberies have resulted in injury to customers or employees, others have not. In one case, a 29-year-old customer was shot in the foot during a robbery. In another, a man armed with a gun made off with more than $200 in cash. A third robber made off with three cell phones. While these may not be the most recent heists in the city, they are the most notable. In fact, two of them were spotted in the same car. A worker at a nearby bodega said that cops stopped by on Monday and looked for video evidence. He said the robbers were about 190 pounds. Nevertheless, there are many other robberies, many of which involve cannabis derived CBD oil, which has been dubbed the "silver bullet" for legalized cannabis.

The Office of Cannabis Management, in its ongoing effort to curb the proliferation of illegal cannabis, has been sending cease and desist letters to 14 smoke shops in the city. These include two in Astoria, two in Brooklyn, and the latest in Queens. These are just a few of the many marijuana stores operating in the five boroughs. While some of them are small, others are franchised, and still others are run by operators who refuse to budge. Several security companies with a little experience in the marijuana world are attempting to drum up business in New York.

There are some nifty-looking smoke shops in the Queens area, but the best ones are hidden in plain sight. They are located in areas of the city that are not known for their high crime rates. The best of these are located on Columbus Avenue between West 83rd and 84th streets. These smoke shops aren't exactly swanky, but they do have a humidor and a smoking lounge, along with a decent sized selection of cigars.

In the last two months, two armed robberies have taken place at smoke shops in the borough. Both incidents involved men wearing ski masks. They forced their way into the store and stole multiple bags of merchandise. The one sleazy robbery was a "Scream" type of incident, with a gunman holding the store at gunpoint and shooting at a few employees and customers. In the other robbery, two men in dark clothing and ski masks held up the Nirvana Vape and Cigar on West 25th Street near 6th Avenue in Chelsea. They took more than $3,000 from the register and a pair of cellphones. The two robbers were later apprehended, but not seriously injured. In fact, they were caught a few blocks away from the scene in a black vehicle.