UTICA — When the New York Supreme Court lifted the injunction against cannabis dispensary licenses at the end of last year, there were about 30 retail shops across the state. By February, that number had doubled to more than 60, and the total number of such stores is only expected to go up in the new year, according to the state Office of Cannabis Management.
State officials said 460 adult retail cannabis licenses have been issued so far, and the few stores that were open in 2023 totaled $150 million in sales. Another 500 to 1,000 licenses are expected to be issued over the next several months, and state officials said they are eyeballing a possible $1 billion or more in cannabis sales statewide in 2024.
Local stores
One new store is Exit 31 Exotic, the first retail cannabis dispensary in Utica, which opened at 255 Genesee St. on Feb. 20.
“They sell everything from your basic flower to pre-rolls, tinctures, creams, gummies and beverages,” said employee Michael Potrzeba.
“The program was unique in that it opened up to social equity candidates first. Those first licenses went to people who had been affected by the war on drugs.”
This applied to Exit 31 Exotic owner Rick Williams, who Potrzeba said had a few marijuana tickets in his youth. Williams paid his debt to society and went on to open a barbershop in Utica. The prior tickets and his own business were the two qualifications for Williams to be among the first to apply for a license in 2022. He got approved in July 2023, but the lawsuits and injunctions slowed down the rollout until December, after which Williams was full speed ahead to open Exit 31 Exotic.
“We love the aspect that everybody knows exactly what they’re getting,” said Potrzeba, noting that the state tracks “seed to sale” for marijuana plants.
“New York can track right from where it grows to where it’s delivered.”
Also in the area is Air City Cannabis in Utica, which is delivery-only for now. According to its website, they are looking to open a retail location soon. The Oneida Indian Nation opened the Verona Collective on Willow Place across from the Turning Stone Resort and Casino, but the Nation does not fall under the oversight of the Office of Cannabis Management.
Several potential businesses have applied to the state for a license in Rome, but none are close to opening.
“The whole thing is really up in the air,” said business owner Phil Vescio, who has applied to open Copper City Bud at a building he owns on South James Street in Rome.
“My application is in the queue,” he stated. When New York legalized adult use cannabis, Vescio said, “It seems like an opportunity,” and he discussed with his brother the idea of opening a dispensary of their own.
“At this point, I have no idea” if it’ll be profitable, Vescio said, though “I’m eager and hopeful to see which way this industry goes.”
Vescio said he was worried about the rise of stores selling marijuana without a license, many of which have popped up in and around Rome.
Illegal stores
Since the legalization of cannabis sales in New York in 2021, many smoke shops and other stores started advertising cannabis for sale on their signage and shop windows. The Office of Cannabis Management has been working to squash these illegal businesses since it started, officials said. In January, they worked with the Department of Taxation and Finance to inspect 60 shops across the state, including 20 reinspections, of stores believed to be selling unlicensed cannabis.
Roughly 371 pounds of flower, 359 pounds of edibles, and 29 pounds of concentrate were seized, with an estimated value of $3,391,545, officials said.
“We know that New Yorkers choose to shop at legal, adult-use dispensaries because they know their cannabis products were grown right here in New York, that these cannabis products have been tested, and that these small businesses are investing in our communities,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.
Officials said shopping at a legal, licensed dispensary means the product has been tested and regulated and will come in the correct, confirmed dosage on the package, none of which can be guaranteed at illegal, unlicensed shops. New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul has also discussed bringing forth more legislation to crack down on unlicensed dispensaries.
H/T: https://www.romesentinel.com/
