Uptown Council Member Rodriguez Joined ASOBEU On Sale Of Marijuana In Bodegas

Today, Friday, March 8, 2019, Council Member of Northern Manhattan, Erika Rodriguez, Chief of Staff of Assembly Member Al Taylor, and local leaders joined executives and members of The Bodega Association of United States (ASOBEU) as they announced their position regarding the sale of Marijuana in bodegas.

At the press conference, executives from the Bodega Association announced that in the event of the legalization of Marijuana in New York State or in the City of New York, bodegas will reserve their right to ban the sale of Marijuana in their stores.

“Bodegas operate as much more than simple food supply stores in our communities. They are a common point of convergence and are visited daily by our children and adolescents. This means that bodegas are seen as institutions of the neighborhood, as a kind of ‘sanctuary’, where our children sometimes go and stay until their parents pick them up when they return from work,” said Francisco Marte, Secretary-General of The Bodega Association of United States (ASOBEU). “Because of this, bodegas should never operate as a place to sell drugs or substances that can induce our children to depend on opioids, which will ultimately negatively affect their lives.”

“The assumption that the legalization of this traditional drug would generate benefits for bodega owners is not a valid reason to promote or support the sale of Marijuana in our stores. We will not allow any of our partners to monetize the future and well-being of our children,”

“The assumption that the legalization of this traditional drug would generate benefits for bodega owners is not a valid reason to promote or support the sale of Marijuana in our stores. We will not allow any of our partners to monetize the future and well-being of our children,” said Ignacio Castillo, President of The Bodega Association of United States (ASOBEU).

“While Assembly Member Al Taylor is supportive of legislation for recreational Marijuana that would create entrepreneurial opportunities for black and brown communities and help seal the records of individuals with Marijuana related convictions, he stands in support of the Bodega Association’s decision that Marijuana should not be sold in bodegas,” said Erika Rodriguez, Chief of Staff of Assembly Member Al Taylor.

“I stand with ASOBEU in their decision to reject the sale of Marijuana in their stores. Bodegas have traditionally filled a communal role in our neighborhoods. They are an integral part of our communities and a place of gathering for our families and children. We want to preserve their integrity as community centers and a place everyone feel safe to enter,”

“I stand with ASOBEU in their decision to reject the sale of Marijuana in their stores. Bodegas have traditionally filled a communal role in our neighborhoods. They are an integral part of our communities and a place of gathering for our families and children. We want to preserve their integrity as community centers and a place everyone feel safe to enter,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, of District 10, Northern Manhattan.

Spanish

Hoy, viernes 8 de marzo, el Concejal Ydanis Rodríguez, del Norte de Manhattan, Erika Rodríguez, Jefa de Personal del Asambleísta Al Taylor, y líderes locales se unieron a ejecutivos y miembros de la Asociación de Bodegas de los Estados Unidos (ASOBEU) para el anuncio de su posición respecto a la venta de marihuana en bodegas.

En la conferencia de prensa, los ejecutivos de la Asociación de Bodegueros anunciaron que, en el caso de la legalización de la marihuana en el estado de Nueva York o en la Ciudad de Nueva York, las bodegas se reservarán el derecho de prohibir la venta de marihuana en sus tiendas.

“Las bodegas operan como mucho más que simples tiendas de suministros de alimentos en nuestras comunidades. Son un punto común de convergencia y son visitadas diariamente por nuestros niños y adolescentes. Esto significa que las bodegas se consideran instituciones del barrio, como una especie de ‘santuario’, donde nuestros hijos a veces van y se quedan hasta que sus padres los recogen cuando regresan del trabajo”, dijo Francisco Marte, Secretario General de la Asociación de Bodegueros de los Estados Unidos (ASOBEU). “Debido a esto, las bodegas nunca deben operar como un lugar para vender drogas o sustancias que puedan inducir a nuestros hijos a depender de los opioides, que en última instancia afectarán negativamente sus vidas”.

“La suposición de que la legalización de esta droga tradicional generará beneficios para los propietarios de bodegas no es una razón válida para promover o apoyar la venta de marihuana en nuestras tiendas. No permitiremos que ninguno de nuestros socios monetice el futuro y el bienestar de nuestros hijos”, dijo Ignacio Castillo, presidente de la Asociación de Bodega de Estados Unidos (ASOBEU).

“Si bien el asambleísta Al Taylor respalda la legislación sobre la marihuana recreativa que sirva para crear oportunidades empresariales para las comunidades de color y ayude a sellar los registros penales de individuos con convicciones relacionadas a la marihuana, él apoya la decisión de la Asociación de Bodegueros de que la marihuana no debe venderse en las bodegas”, dijo Erika Rodríguez, Jefa de Personal del Asambleísta Al Taylor.

“Estoy de acuerdo con ASOBEU en su decisión de rechazar la venta de marihuana en sus tiendas. Las bodegas tradicionalmente han desempeñado un papel comunitario en nuestros vecindarios. Son una parte integral de nuestras comunidades y un lugar de reunión para nuestras familias y niños. Queremos preservar su integridad como centros comunitarios y lugares donde todos se sientan seguros en visitar”, dijo Ydanis Rodriguez, Concejal del Distrito 10, en el Norte de Manhattan.