Category: Marijuana News

Two new cannabis dispensaries opened in the Capital Region within 24 hours this week. This comes after a judge approved settlements in two lawsuits challenging New York’s Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary program last week, lifting the court order barring new dispensaries from opening.

“It’s a good time for the city, it’s a good time for our families and we hope to be a successful business for the community,” said Pasha Adams, owner of Capital District Cannabis and Wellness Incorporated.

Adams told Spectrum News 1 there is only one word to describe how he is feeling as his store opened for the very first time: elated.

He says he decided to open a cannabis business after researching the benefits of the plant with partners, and deciding to give it a go. 

The process though was held up by that lawsuit. He says while frustrating, he took the experience of being one of the businesses who was on the cusp of opening but forced to wait, in stride.

“It teaches you, even at my age, to trust the process and trust your team and hopefully everything will work itself out,” he said.

Tremaine Wright, the chairperson of the New York State Cannabis

Read More Here...

“We’re excited”, says Sean Molina, Revolution’s vice president of business operations. “The staff’s excited to finally get the doors open and be able to serve to the Quad Cities.”

Hundreds marched to Moline as its second legal cannabis dispensary officially opened.

“We’re very excited about what the potential of this store could be,” Molina says. “I think we’re in a good position to do pretty well here.”

Revolution Dispensary is now open in Moline. (photo by Michael Frachalla)

According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Illinois set records for cannabis sales in 2022. Adult-use sales reached a record high of $1.5 billion dollars. 

“Cannabis tax has been a big source of income not only for local communities but also for the state,” Molina says. “It outpaces alcohol at this point from the state perspective. It’s going to bring that aspect to the community and on a yearly basis now, and revenue that may have not necessarily been fully realized in some communities. I think it can only benefit the communities at large.”

In a press conference with Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati, she explained that the cannabis tax ordinance was passed by the

Read More Here...

AMSTERDAM — Amsterdam Cannabis, the city’s first marijuana dispensary, will finally open its doors at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“We’re just excited to roll out,” Thomas Marcellino said this week.

Brothers Thomas and Anthony Marcellino planned to open their shop at 1549 Route 5S this summer and had already hired staff before dispensaries were barred from opening by lawsuits against state cannabis regulators regarding the state’s Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD) licenses program.

“It was stressful,” Thomas Marcellino said. “We’ve got our life savings into this project and we’ve got people relying on us now.”

The Amsterdam natives each left jobs earlier this year to focus on the dispensary. Thomas Marcellino, a former MMA fighter, was coaching at a local gym. He is still involved in coaching and promoting Cage Wars. Anthony Marcellino worked for the Montgomery County Probation Department.

After the state’s Cannabis Control Board settled the lawsuits last week, Thomas and Anthony Marcellino were “ecstatic” to learn they could finally open their doors following months of uncertainty.

“It’s been very nerve wracking,” Anthony Marcellino said. “Honestly, you don’t really know what’s going to happen and we had so much invested in this operation. We would have bankrupted ourselves.”

The brothers have been working rapidly to

Read More Here...

Twenty-three members of two separate crime organizations have been arrested on charges of burglarizing metro Denver area marijuana dispensaries following two law enforcement operations.

The suspects were arrested following two “lengthy” multi-agency investigations conducted by the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department and the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN) — among others, according to a news release by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

The operations led to the arrest of 23 suspects in connection to two crime organizations, according to the release.

The suspects will face charges connected to stealing vehicles and using them to burglarize more than 40 marijuana dispensaries, federal firearms licensees and other businesses, according to the release. 

The suspects are also looking at charges of aggravated robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms and violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act.

The alleged crimes led to the theft of approximately $780,000 in cash and property, according to the release.

“The streets of Denver are safer today because of these two investigations and I am grateful to the many law enforcement officers who have worked so hard on these cases to get us to this point,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in the release.

“This operation is

Read More Here...

Twenty-three members of two separate crime organizations have been arrested on charges of burglarizing metro Denver area marijuana dispensaries following two law enforcement operations.

The suspects were arrested following two “lengthy” multi-agency investigations conducted by the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department and the Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN) — among others, according to a news release by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

The operations led to the arrest of 23 suspects in connection to two crime organizations, according to the release.

The suspects will face charges connected to stealing vehicles and using them to burglarize more than 40 marijuana dispensaries, federal firearms licensees and other businesses, according to the release. 

The suspects are also looking at charges of aggravated robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms and violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act.

The alleged crimes led to the theft of approximately $780,000 in cash and property, according to the release.

“The streets of Denver are safer today because of these two investigations and I am grateful to the many law enforcement officers who have worked so hard on these cases to get us to this point,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in the release.

“This operation is

Read More Here...

Two new cannabis dispensaries have opened in Troy and Albany. These are the first in the region to be supported by the New York Cannabis Society Equity Investment.

Two new cannabis dispensaries have opened in Troy and Albany.

These are the first in the region to be supported by the New York Cannabis Society Equity Investment.

In Troy, 420 Bliss opened on Thursday at 740 Hoosick St. The business is owned by Al Attoh, Renee Lindo and Gregg Little, who entrepreneurs with experience in the retail, real estate, construction and the music business, among others, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. Their goal is to create a stable, long-lasting business that offers a comfortable experience for their customers. 

In Albany, Capital District Cannabis and Wellness, 997 Central Ave. opened Friday. The dispensary is owned by Capital Region natives James Frese and Pasha Adams, longtime friends who bring to their enterprise diverse backgrounds in the restaurant industry, real estate, volunteering and more, as well as a strong commitment to community service. 

“As the cannabis market expands, my administration is focused on protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers, helping small businesses thrive, and building the most equitable adult-use cannabis industry in the nation,” Hochul

Read More Here...

Craft Recordings and Jazz Dispensary are thrilled to announce the first-ever vinyl reissue of Johnny Lytle’s long-sought-after soul-jazz gem, People & Love. Full of soaring, funky jams and heady grooves, the latest release in Jazz Dispensary’s acclaimed Top Shelf series showcases the legendary vibraphonist’s talents as a songwriter, musician, and bandleader, as he guides his fellow musicians through five sublime tracks, including extended, soulful covers (“People Make the World Go ’Round,” “Where Is the Love?”) and groovy originals (“Libra,” “Tawhid,” “Family”). The 1973 session also boasts a stellar line-up of players, including Daahoud Hadi (formerly Butch Cornell) on the electric piano and organ, Bob Cranshaw on the electric bass, and harpist Betty Glamann.

As with all titles in the album-centric Top Shelf series—which reissues the highest-quality, hand-picked rarities—People & Love features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI. Rounding out the package is a tip-on jacket, replicating the album’s original art. Out of print for half a century, People & Love makes its return on February 16th and is available for pre-order today—exclusively via JazzDispensary.com.

Touted by the great bandleader Lionel Hampton as “The Greatest Vibes Player in

Read More Here...

Sour OG Chem | Hybrid
27.96% THC | 2.54% Terps

Banana Bread | Indica
26.63% THC | 2.53% Terps

Earthquake | Sativa
24.49% THC | 3.16% Terps

*Offer is valid 12/08/2023 – 12/10/2023 in Florida locations only. Orders must be picked up by end of day on 12/10/2023 to qualify, store hours may vary. For delivery orders, orders must be placed by 12/10/2023 to qualify for savings. Discount taken on lowest priced item. No substitutions. Cannot be combined with any other patient discounts, coupon, production promotion or sale. Offer has no cash value. Returns of any portion of the purchase will require equal forfeiture of offer or amount equal to offer. Trulieve, subsidiaries, affiliates, parent companies and third parties on behalf of Trulieve have the right to end or modify any offer at any time. Other restrictions may apply. Please see dispensary associate for more details. Product variety, availability, and THC% may vary by location.

Read More Here...

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The state’s first medical marijuana dispensary may be moving out of Montclair.

Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc. plans to relocate its retail dispensary from 395 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair to 325 Route 15 North in Wharton. The company told the Wharton mayor and council that it wants to leave Montclair because the legal cannabis market in the area is “oversaturated,” NJBIZ reported (read the full article here).

Ascend took over operations at 395 Bloomfield Avenue when it purchased the business in 2020. Formerly known as the Greenleaf Compassion Center, it was the first medical marijuana dispensary to open in New Jersey.

Ascend got the greenlight to sell recreational cannabis to adults at its Montclair dispensary last year. It also operates two other dispensaries in New Jersey, located in Rochelle Park and Fort Lee.

Last year, a group of 22 employees who work at the Montclair facility formed a union and ratified their first work agreement. The bargaining unit – which consists of customer service representatives known as budtenders – marks the first time that employees of Ascend were protected by a union contract.

Read More Here...

CAPITAL REGION (WRGB) — Two adult-use cannabis dispensaries opened in the Capital Region this week with support from the New York Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund, according to an announcement from New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

On Thursday, 420 Bliss kicked off its grand opening with an opening night party at 740 Hoosick Road in Troy.

RELATED: Psychedelic productivity: Can microdosing psilocybin boost your performance at work?

According to the NY press office, their goal is to “create a stable, long-lasting business that offers a comfortable experience for their customers.”

420 Bliss is owned by three entrepreneurs, Al Attoh, Renee Lindo and Gregg Little, who have experience in the retail, real estate, construction and the music business, according to the Governor’s press release.

“If it hadn’t been for the Fund, we would have likely had to take on equity partners, and give up part of the business,” 420 Bliss Co-Owner Al Attoh said. “The Fund gave us the opportunity to build a business that we can own, one that will last for many years to come.”

TRENDING: FBI releases identity of suspect in Temple Israel shots fired incident

Then, on Friday, Capital District Cannabis and Wellness, owned by longtime friends and Capital Region natives James Frese

Read More Here...