Smoking marijuana in NYC should be 'relegated to certain areas', Adams says

Smoking pot should be 'relegated to certain areas': Adams

New York City Mayor Eric Adams says smoking marijuana should be restricted to specific areas of the city because of the smell. FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt has the story.

NEW YORK CITY - New York City Mayor Eric Adams says smoking marijuana should be restricted to specific areas of the city because of the smell.

Local perspective:

"I think it should be relegated to certain areas that you could smoke marijuana, not throughout the entire street, because you do smell it everywhere," Adams said.

The mayor made the comments on The New York Post's "Pod Force One" podcast. He thinks the state legislature should have imposed restrictions when it legalized weed.

"I think that’s one of the negative impacts of our cannabis law that the state government passed," Adams said.

The backstory:

Under New York state’s recreational cannabis law passed back in 2021, smoking marijuana is legal in most places where New Yorkers can smoke or vape tobacco, with some further exceptions for inside motor vehicles, restaurants, federal property and most public parks.

What they're saying:

New Yorkers are mixed on the idea.

"If I'm walking by, it doesn't bother me," one New Yorker told FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt. "I guess I'm a fast walker, but if I'm with my daughter, then yes, it absolutely bothers me because I don't want her to be exposed to it."

The other side:

"I'm in New York City, it’s one of the better smells, to be honest with you," another said.