Capital Region Smoke Shops Found To Be Selling Illegal Drugs

"D.A.R.E. to say no to Drugs" is the phrase I probably heard the most while I was growing up. In my youth, we were taught to avoid any kind of substance, legal or illegal.

Nowadays, many of those illegal drugs have become legal across the country, especially Marijuana, which has seen an explosion of popularity since its legalization in New York. That legalization doesn't mean everyone's selling above board, however.

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Selling Legal Drugs, Illegally

Despite marijuana being legal in New York State, not everyone can partake. You have to be 21 or older in order to purchase at a regulated dispensary. Some smoke shops in the area, though, decided they wanted in too.

In November of 2025, four smoke shops in the Capital Region were shut down for having a massive amount of cannabis flower, concentrates, and edibles, and selling those drugs to underage buyers. Not only that, the stores had illegal flavored vapes in stock that were also being sold to minors.

What Shops Were Found?

Of the four shops that were forced to shut down, three were found in Queensbury. These three were found to be holding and selling large quantities of cannabis:

• Smoke Plus
• 212 Smoke
• Queen Exotic

One other store, Saugerties Convenience in Saugerties, was found to be selling Cannabis to customers under 21. Not only that, the store had only been open for a week before they were busted. Two arrests were made, and tens of thousands of dollars of fines will be thrown at the owners for their reckless endangerment of the community.