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Long Island city set to vote on public marijuana smoking ban
The Glen Cove City Council is expected to vote on a measure that would ban public use of marijuana throughout the city.
GLEN COVE, N.Y. - The Glen Cove City Council is expected to vote on Dec. 9 on a measure that would ban public use of marijuana throughout the city.
Glen Cove marijuana ban
What we know:
Currently, it's illegal to smoke or vape marijuana at parks, playgrounds and beaches across the state. The proposed measure would expand that ban to all public places in Glen Cove.
Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck said the legislation was introduced last month in response to an increase in marijuana use in the city.
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"You can smoke marijuana in your yard, in your friend's yard," Panzenbeck said. "We just don't want people walking down the street smoking marijuana."
Under the proposal, first-time offenders would face a $100 fine or community service.
Residents react
What they're saying:
The proposal has residents sounding off online. Some are calling the ban overdue, while others argue the city is overstepping.
"I can understand the drive behind it, I don't necessarily agree with it," one resident told FOX 5 NY.
"I don't think it should be legalized anywhere," said another.
Others argued that the ban wouldn't stop people from smoking in public.
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What's next:
If it passes, the measure would go into effect immediately.
A spokesperson for the New York Office of Cannabis Management told FOX 5 NY that the agency supports clear, consistent rules that protect public health, and says communities can adopt additional restrictions if they choose.
The law would be the first crackdown of its kind in Nassau County, and among the strictest in the state.
The Source: Information in this story is from the city of Glen Cove and interviews with residents.