The legalization of recreational marijuana has been signed into law, but some municipalities are pushing back on the new measure.

The state is giving municipalities the option to opt out of retail establishments that would sell recreational marijuana. Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer is taking a strong stand against it.

“Legalization is here. There is nothing we can do about that. But there is something we can do about making it less readily available,” he told News 12.

Something Schaffer says he is pushing hard for is to have all towns and villages on Long Island opt out. The issue will be discussed next week during a meeting with all of Long Island’s town supervisors.

“I want to approach this from a regional standpoint, so that we can create this geographic ‘Long Island opt-out’ as opposed to doing it willy-nilly, one by one,” he says.

Towns cannot ban marijuana use, but they can prohibit sales. Opting out would mean a loss of tax revenue. Schaffer says the negative impacts of having pot be readily available far outweigh the positive.

“I say that my prediction is that it will cost us a whole lot more to deal with the addiction issue that will be created as a result,” says Schaffer.

The mayors of Freeport, Island Park, Atlantic Beach and Rockville Centre have also said they will prohibit marijuana sales. 

News 12 reached out to all the town supervisors on Long Island. Most of them said they are still reviewing the new law and will discuss it with the town attorneys and town boards.