Southold Opts Out of Allowing Legal Pot Sales

The Town of Southold voted on December 28 to opt out of allowing recreational marijuana to be sold at pot shops or cannabis cafes on the North Fork.

The vote, which came less than a week before a New York State deadline to decide the issue, makes Southold the 11th East End municipality to opt out. 

“We’re not just going to walk away from this,” said Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, who said the town will study if opting back in is ideal once the state regulations are released.

State lawmakers legalized recreational marijuana possession and consumption in March, but towns and villages had until December 31 to opt out of sales. 

The towns of Shelter Island, East Hampton and Southold opted out along with the villages of East Hampton, Dering Harbor, Greenport, Quogue, Southampton, Sagaponack, Sag Harbor and Westhampton Beach. The Town of Riverhead rejected an opt-out proposal, and the Town of Southampton declined to vote on the issue, opting in by default. The villages of North Haven and Westhampton Dunes said they declined to take action since they have no commercial entities. 

Growing, consuming and possessing marijuana remains legal despite localities opting out of sales.