“Today, I voted no on S.9155 dealing with the distance a cannabis dispensary can be measured from a school or house of worship, because one of my greatest responsibilities as a legislator is protecting the health and safety of our children. While I understand the intent behind this legislation, I remain concerned that it doesn’t properly address the issue of accessibility and visibility of cannabis products in areas where young people congregate. I believe we could have taken additional steps to protect minors from the presence of dispensaries, like by including parks and playgrounds to schools and houses of worship when determining the restrictions of new sites. While this bill seeks to clarify how distance requirements are measured between cannabis dispensaries and schools or places of worship, a ‘door-to-door’ standard and grandfathering certain locations could weaken the intent of existing safeguards.

In my district, many schools have multiple entrances and access points, making it difficult to ensure that cannabis retail locations are truly a safe and appropriate distance away from where children enter and exit school grounds each day. Limiting measurements to specific entrances may unintentionally create gaps in protection and increase the risk of cannabis products being more visible and accessible in areas frequented by young people. I believe the distance should be measured from the property line of the school closest to the proposed cannabis dispensary. 

These concerns are underscored by a report issued by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on February 2, 2026, which found that drug-related incidents in schools statewide are on the rise. I wholeheartedly agree with Comptroller DiNapoli’s statement that we need to do everything we can to make sure students and teachers feel safe. 

Our responsibility is not just to regulate cannabis, but to do so in a way that prioritizes public safety and prevents the normalization and accessibility of these products to minors. That is why I have introduced legislation, S.1244, which would further strengthen restrictions and ensure cannabis remains out of reach of children by reinforcing commonsense buffer zones and accountability measures.

As cannabis legalization continues to evolve, we must take a careful and deliberate approach. I remain committed to advancing policies that protect our communities, support responsible regulation, and most importantly, safeguard the well-being of our children.”