Smoke if you’ve got any—but not here.
A Long Island community recently voted to prohibit outdoor marijuana use, a decision that has ruffled the city’s “ever‑present” weed aroma. Residents complained that the scent had become inescapable, insisting that “there’s a time and place” for recreational cannabis.
Glen Cove became the first New York town to adopt the ban after the state legalized cannabis. The city council passed the measure on Tuesday night in a heated session. Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck told the crowd (as shown in the meeting footage) that while people may smoke “in your house, in your yard, in your friend’s yard,” the city will now outlaw the drug from public venues such as beaches, a stadium, parks and any spots where families gather.
Under the new regulation, anyone caught smoking marijuana outside a private residence—including in front of storefronts, on sidewalks, or any other public area—faces a $100 fine for the first violation and $250 for subsequent infractions.
The city’s officials had previously opted out of permitting cannabis retail in 2021, and in 2023 they tightened zoning rules that severely limited new vape shops. They said the latest law responds to complaints about “the awful stench” that lingered throughout town.
Bruce Kennedy, a resident who testified on the board, argued that “There is a time and a place for adult substances — and our parks, streets, playgrounds and public spaces are not the place for marijuana use,” drawing a parallel to the restrictions on alcohol.
However, some locals have called the ordinance illegitimate, labeling it a “money grab” that unfairly targets law‑abiding young adults who neither own homes nor can smoke in their apartments.
Legal analysts warn that New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act, which treats cannabis the same as tobacco, establishes statewide limits on where smoking is allowed. The new city law does not modify the existing tobacco freedoms and therefore may conflict with state law by imposing a blanket ban on public marijuana use while leaving tobacco untouched.
Still, no other city in New York has enacted a prohibition that specifically targets cannabis in public spaces while preserving all local tobacco rules. State officials acknowledge that municipalities can adopt additional public‑smoking restrictions, but the breadth of Glen Cove’s ban might be overstepping.
Attorney Jeffrey Buss, an advocate for the cannabis industry, cautions that the ordinance could be challenged. “Glen Cove’s total ban on the public use of cannabis products, but not tobacco, is overly broad and most likely a violation of New York State law,” he told The Post. Buss noted that the law contains no exceptions for medical marijuana and that its definition of public spaces includes private property adjoining public land and outdoor restaurants. “State law currently prohibits public use in parks, playgrounds and beaches, but specifically excludes private property and designated smoking areas. As written, the local law is subject to challenge,” he explained.
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