Before New York State legalizes recreational marijuana, local governments on Long Island want to pass laws to keep pot shops out of strip malls.
Floral Park, New Hyde Park and Mineola in Nassau County are adopting zoning regulations to keep retail marijuana away from commercial areas.
Doug Greene, the New York legislative director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, does not support these bills.
“I think a lot of people won't be happy about having to go to a more industrial or light industrial, rather than a more commercial part of town, in order to purchase a legal product,” Greene said.
New York State plans to give municipalities leeway on marijuana regulations. North Hempstead has already banned the sale of recreational marijuana and other towns may follow suit.