Cannabis, Tobacco & Vaping
Cannabis ballot measures, tobacco/vaping bans and regulation
Candidate positions as stated in official meetings, side by side. Citations link to the source meeting.
In 2015, they supported smoking ordinances for multi-unit housing but requested exceptions for Manhattan Village [2][3]. They also supported a smoke-free housing initiative but emphasized e-cigarettes as a cessation tool [1]. In 2016, they supported a prohibition on medical marijuana cultivation to allow for further data collection [5]. In 2022, they advocated for expanded buffer zones and youth product restrictions for cannabis retail [9], but later opposed cannabis retail due to youth safety and public health risks [10].
Over time: They shifted from supporting cannabis retail regulation with buffer zones in 2022 [9] to opposing cannabis retail in 2022 due to youth safety and public health concerns [10].
In 2015, David Lesser supported a Smoke-Free Housing Ordinance and Tobacco Retail Licensing, allowing e-cigarette use in private apartments while supporting the broader smoking ban [1]. In 2016, he supported maintaining the status quo on Medical Marijuana Cultivation Regulations until legislative clarity was achieved [2].
No substantial public record on this issue in our archive.
In 2021, they rejected a hardship exemption for a tobacco retailer, citing violations of the vaping ban and lack of evidence for the request [4].