Aaron Van Camp opened Dank 716 – Buffalo’s first legal adult-use dispensary – on July 17, 2023. During its first six months in business, the store has grossed nearly $5 million in sales and cultivated a larger-than-expected customer base.
But while business at Dank 716 has been good, Van Camp recognizes some problems in New York’s legal weed industry that could harm the statewide market. There are issues with product quality, regulations – ranging from potency-based taxes to requirements for many cultivators to grow outdoors – and business acumen among marijuana entrepreneurs, to name just a few.
Decisions made in 2024 could have wide-ranging effects on the viability of New York’s legal adult-use cannabis market, and Van Camp sat down with NY Cannabis Insider to talk about what the statewide industry looks like right now, and what issues need to be addressed.
This Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
When it comes to federal policy, what are you keeping an eye on in 2024?
Everybody’s basically looking to see if they reschedule. I mean, that should free up a huge amount of write-off opportunities moving forward. That’s basically the biggest thing for us as a retailer.
What policy changes should New York regulators seriously