BUFFALO, N.Y. — All regions of the state now have approved adult-use cannabis retail licenses.
The New York State Cannabis Control Board met Thursday in Western New York, where it approved 36 new Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses. This included the first seven in the Finger Lakes region.
The Finger Lakes was the last region in the state to get approval for this type of license because of a previous lawsuit. This same lawsuit also delayed the approval of CAURD licenses in Western New York.
“As of today, New York has granted adult-use dispensary licenses in every region of the State," Chris Alexander, executive director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management said in a released statement.
"This is only the beginning of expanding access to safer cannabis consumption. We’ve granted 251 licenses throughout the Empire State, and we’re excited to continue empowering our entrepreneurs as they lead New York’s growing cannabis industry.”
Added Senator Jeremy Cooney, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Cannabis: “As Chair of the Subcommittee on Cannabis and a proud representative from Rochester, I am relieved and pleased to see the first CAURD licensees announced for the Finger Lakes Region.”
“This is a huge step forward for our region, its retail applicants, legal customers, and our communities, which have suffered disinvestment for years. I thank Governor Hochul and the Office of Cannabis Management for their commitment to resolving the lawsuit restricting access for our region, and look forward to attending the opening of the Finger Lakes’ first dispensary in the near future.”
Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that allowed for enhanced enforcement of unlicensed cannabis businesses, which was part of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
This is allowing the state take more step to stopping unlawful cannabis operations.
“Bolstering our enforcement actions, supported by recent legislation, demonstrates our commitment to eradicating unlawful operations that pose risks to public safety and the integrity of our legal cannabis market,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of the New York State’s Cannabis Control Board.
“New York State will continue working diligently to identify and shut down illegal operations throughout the state, ensuring consumer protection and supporting licensed businesses.”