BUFFALO, N.Y. -- So far there are no state licensed cannabis dispensaries open in Western New York.

Still, Buffalo Common Council Member Bryan Bollman said he's hearing from residents in his Lovejoy district all the time about shops illegally selling marijuana.

"We were talking about this last year. It's good to see some movement. My residents absolutely want to see some movement and I am not in any fashion anti-cannabis but I am concerned about the illicit shops," Bollman said.

Late last year, Bollman and Councilmember Chris Scanlon sponsored a resolution asking the state for more insight and guidance on the new industry's licensing and enforcement.

"Really, we wanted to hear from the Office of Cannabis Management and we wanted to hear from the state and recently we did. We had a good meeting with the Office of Cannabis Management and the things that the governor is proposing right now seems like it will give them some teeth and give them the ability to look at these illicit shops," Bollman said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she's speaking with lawmakers now about steps to shut down businesses that sell marijuana illegally or find ways to fold them into the legal market. Bollman said that could mean higher fines for shops and potentially denying future licenses to owners that don't cooperate the state.

He said he doesn't believe city of Buffalo inspectors or police will be primarily responsible for enforcement but whoever does it will need funding.

"Right now it sounds like from my understanding that it's going to be the Office of Cannabis Management and their enforcement division and it will take resources," Bollman said. "It will take bodies to be able to enforce. It will take funding to be able to enforce."

He said OCM indicated it expects to ramp up enforcement once new legislation is on the books.