New York is having a ball with marijuana.
After a lengthy, very rocky start in which the retail laws lagged far behind legalization, New York is now opening up dispensary’s left and right, with the 500th now being a cause for celebration.
Green Comfort Dispensary had a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management, Felicia A.B. Reid, came out for the occasion.
“Each new business represents economic growth, community investment, and safer access for consumers. Together, they signal that New York’s legal cannabis market, industry innovation, and consumer demand are showing no signs of slowing down,” she said.
With the 500th opening, the industry has reached $2.3 billion in sales since it began at the end of 2022.
56% of the licenses that have been given out were to social equity businesses, a staggering accomplishment considering almost 2,000 licenses have been approved so far.
Jessica Garcia, chair of the Cannabis Control Board, said that “reaching 500 shows the industry’s momentum and our continued focus on equity, compliance, and consumer protection.”
Read the original article at Marijuana Moment.
