New York state will kick off legal recreational marijuana sales on Dec. 29, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Wednesday.
Housing Works, a New York City-based nonprofit that runs a chain of thrift shops, will launch sales at a 4,400 square-foot Manhattan dispensary at 1 Astor Place. All proceeds will be directed to the nonprofit.
The charity, which provides services to people who were formerly incarcerated, living with HIV/Aids, is one of three dozen groups and individuals awarded the state’s first retail licenses last month.
Licenses were doled out to people who have a cannabis conviction and organizations that provide services to people who were harmed by past drug enforcement. New York has also given out licenses to 280 farmers to grow the first adult-use cannabis in the state.
The state passed legislation two years ago that decriminalized pot, made it legal for individuals to consume cannabis and allowed New Yorkers to buy small amounts of weed. However, it took months to formulate regulations and grant licenses, leading to the proliferation of illegal storefronts that popped up across the state.
Now, regulators and law enforcement are trying to rein in the $2 billion market in illegal sales by providing support to licensed sellers.
“We are eager to take the lead as a social equity model for America’s cannabis industry, specifically with our hiring practices and continued support of individuals and communities disproportionately impacted by the unjust War on Drugs,” said Sasha Nutgent, Store Manager of Housing Works Cannabis Co., in a statement.
H/T: www.bloomberg.com
