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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 11 February 2022
N.Y. clamps down on businesses offering marijuana as a ‘gift’

By JENNIFER PELTZ The letter, which tells recipi-
Associated Press ents to stop “illegal activ-
NEW YORK (AP) — While ity” immediately, comes
New York works on launch- after state Cannabis Con-
ing a legal market for rec- trol Board Chair Tremaine
reational marijuana, some Wright warned in October
entrepreneurs dove into a of “severe financial penal-
legal gray area by saying ties” for pot “gifting” con-
they’re not selling pot but nected to sales of other
giving it away while people goods and services.
buy something else. No such letter has arrived
Now, the state is saying at Happy Munkey, a New
they have jumped the gun York City-based business
and need to stop. that has put on “bring your
The Office of Cannabis own” cannabis-themed
Management said Tuesday events where goodie bags
it sent letters to more than included a joint, spokesper-
two dozen enterprises it son Stu Zakim said. He says
suspects of illegally selling that’s not “gifting” tied to a
weed. They were told to purchase, but rather “do-
stop or face fines, potential ing what any sponsor does
criminal charges and risk to — provide a goodie bag to
their prospects of getting give away their product to
a license once they are Marijuana and a pipe used to smoke it are displayed on a mirror in New York on June 20, 2018. help influence people.”
available. Associated Press While the cannabis agen-
“New York state is building pot. The agency wouldn’t Mackenzie. He feels the nesses have started offer- cy’s action might not af-
a legal, regulated canna- say what entities got let- state would be wiser to get ing the drug as a “gift” to fect Happy Munkey, Zakim
bis market that will ensure ters. Messages were left to know businesses like his people who make what’s called it “offensive and
products are tested and with several businesses that shop, where he prides him- described as a donation, insulting.” He said it would
safe for consumers” and have gone public about self on educating custom- or who buy art or some oth- turn established under-
will provide opportunities providing weed in what ers about cannabis. CBD is er item. Others say they’re ground sellers off the idea
for people affected by they insist is a legal way. a popular non-intoxicating clubs that acquire canna- of engaging in the coming
the enforcement of now- Hempsol CBD owner Jim chemical that’s prevalent bis and provide their pay- legal market, rather than
scrapped marijuana laws, Mackenzie said Wednes- in hemp, a form of canna- ing members with access continuing unlicensed, un-
OCM Executive Director day his shop in Rochester bis that Congress legalized to it. To the state cannabis taxed sales.
Chris Alexander said in a didn’t get a letter but will in 2018. office, illegal sales “include New York is expected to
statement. “Illegal opera- nonetheless stop offering a “It’s really in their best inter- so-called ‘gifting’ where become one of the big-
tions undermine our ability “gift” of marijuana to cus- est to work with the people consumers purchase non- gest U.S. legal marijuana
to do that.” The state law tomers who buy a T-shirt or who are actually trying to cannabis items or services, markets. Making a name in
that legalized recreation- other garment — a deal he do it correctly and actually such as a membership in the market early is a big at-
al marijuana last spring believed was legal. have knowledge in this in- a club, and are then pro- traction to many entrepre-
doesn’t discuss such “gifts” “But I’m going to do what dustry,” he said. vided cannabis as part of neurs, who have already
but does allow “transfer- the state wants because As the state works out rules the sale,” according to a waited almost a year since
ring, without compensa- my goal is to have a state to apply for licenses to sample warning letter that the legalization measure
tion” small amounts of (marijuana) license,” said sell marijuana, some busi- the agency released. passed last March.q

Parent in college bribery scandal gets

year in prison

of supervised release, 400 ter into the University of this month.
hours of community service Southern California as a Prosecutors, however,
and pay a fine of $250,000 basketball recruit even sought 14 months in prison
in the sentence handed though she didn’t even for Abdelaziz, arguing the
down by Judge Nathaniel make it onto her high former Wynn Resorts ex-
Gorton in Boston federal school’s varsity team. ecutive failed to accept
court. In legal filings ahead of responsibility for his actions.
Abdelaziz didn’t com- Wednesday’s sentencing, Dozens of other defendants
ment after the sentencing, Abdelaziz’s lawyers sought have already pleaded
but in court apologized to a four-month prison stint. guilty in the scheme and
his family and friends and They argued their client served their time.
Gamal Abdelaziz arrives at federal court for his trial, Thursday,
Oct. 7, 2021, in Boston. asked the judge for mercy. shouldn’t receive a sub- “Desperate Housewives”
Associated Press His lawyer Brian Kelly plans stantially higher sentence star Felicity Huffman was
to appeal and “vindicate” than other defendants just sentenced to 14 days in
BOSTON (AP) — A former year and one day in fed- his client. because he decided to prison.
casino executive who was eral prison, the stiffest sen- The 65-year-old Las Vegas fight the charges in court. “Full House” star Lori Lough-
one of just two parents to tence so far handed down resident was convicted The other parent is John lin was sentenced to two
go to trial in the sprawling in the case, federal pros- of fraud and bribery con- Wilson, a former Staples months and her fashion
college admissions bribery ecutors said. spiracy in October after Inc. executive who was designer husband Mossimo
scandal was sentenced Gamal Abdelaziz was also prosecutors said he paid also convicted in October Giannulli was sentenced to
Wednesday to serve one ordered to serve two years $300,000 to get his daugh- and faces sentencing later five months. q