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Ascend Cannabis Dispensary (KATE ALBRIGHT/FILE PHOTO)

Ascend Cannabis has announced plans to leave Montclair only a little over a year after becoming Montclair’s first adult-use recreational dispensary.  Ascend plans to move to Wharton, more than 20 miles away and nearly an hour drive from its current location at 395 Bloomfield Ave.  

“We are excited to serve the customers in Wharton in a currently underserved market,” said Rebecca Koar, executive vice president of investor relations and strategy for Ascend Wellness Relations. Koar cited reasons for the move, stating there is “a bit more competition in Montclair” and that parking was a problem. “In Wharton, we will have plenty of parking and the opportunity to serve an underserved community,” she said. The move to Wharton is expected in late summer or early fall of next year.

Steps away from Ascend is the

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Ben Gilbert, 38, smokes marijuana in lower Manhattan outside the first legal dispensary for recreational marijuana in New York on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. New York is set to dramatically expand its legal weed market and issue more than 1,000 new licenses starting early next year, with a priority on retail. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

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New York cannabis regulators took their first first step toward opening up new recreational dispensaries on Friday after lawsuits tied up the market since August. Sellers say it’s a step in the right direction but the market still has a long way to go until it’s populated by legal sellers.

The state’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) greenlit six of the state’s 10 licensed medical marijuana companies to begin adult-use cannabis sales on Dec. 29 — a year after recreational sales first began. The move came at a meeting of the control board in Albany on Dec. 8 — the first since the state settled two lawsuits that have frozen the growth of its marijuana industry since August.

“Slowly we are now going

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CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RISE Dispensaries, a rapidly growing cannabis retail chain owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or the “Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), today announced that RISE Dispensary Port Orange, the Company’s 14th location in Florida and 90th nationwide, will open on December 15. RISE Port Orange will host a patient appreciation event on December 23, with profits from the day going toward M4MM (Minorities for Medical Marijuana).

“We are thrilled to expand our presence on the east coast of Florida with the opening of RISE Port Orange,” said Green Thumb President Anthony Georgiadis. “This store marks our first RISE location in Volusia County and the seventh new store we have opened in the Sunshine State this year. We look forward to welcoming more patients to the RISE experience and making a positive impact in the local community.”

Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) is a purpose-driven nonprofit organization that provides education and programs to build a more accessible and equitable cannabis industry.

RISE Port Orange is located at 4041 S. Nova Road in Port Orange, FL. The location will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and

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CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RISE Dispensaries, a rapidly growing cannabis retail chain owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or the “Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), today announced that RISE Dispensary Port Orange, the Company’s 14th location in Florida and 90th nationwide, will open on December 15. RISE Port Orange will host a patient appreciation event on December 23, with profits from the day going toward M4MM (Minorities for Medical Marijuana).

“We are thrilled to expand our presence on the east coast of Florida with the opening of RISE Port Orange,” said Green Thumb President Anthony Georgiadis. “This store marks our first RISE location in Volusia County and the seventh new store we have opened in the Sunshine State this year. We look forward to welcoming more patients to the RISE experience and making a positive impact in the local community.”

Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) is a purpose-driven nonprofit organization that provides education and programs to build a more accessible and equitable cannabis industry.

RISE Port Orange is located at 4041 S. Nova Road in Port Orange, FL. The location will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11

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The Rochester-Finger Lakes region marked a significant milestone with the opening of its first legal cannabis dispensary, MJ Dispensary, located on Jefferson Road in Henrietta.

This development introduces the recreational cannabis industry to Monroe County, offering a new shopping destination for cannabis enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

The dispensary’s opening is the culmination of a 2.5-year journey for the shop owners, who navigated the complexities of New York State’s CAURD program to obtain their license. Owner Ryan Martin expressed relief and gratitude at the grand opening, highlighting the challenges they overcame to reach this point.

Martin emphasized the importance of perseverance for others aspiring to enter the cannabis industry, offering his experience as encouragement.

MJ Dispensary not only represents a business venture but also a community-oriented initiative, as it begins a purchase round-up campaign designed to benefit youth in the city of Rochester.

Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox each morning. Sign up for our Morning Edition to start your day. FL1 on the Go! Download the free FingerLakes1.com App for Android (All Android Devices) or iOS (iPhone, iPad).

FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a

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Samantha Christmann

Omar Price has been in limbo since August, when a legal injunction kept him from opening his state-licensed recreational cannabis dispensary.

Not knowing when he would be able to move forward and open his shop has made it impossible to hire workers, even though there are a few he has his eye on.

The Office of Cannabis Management’s Cannabis Control Board on Monday voted to approve a resolution to settle a lawsuit brought by service-disabled military veterans and a coalition of medical cannabis dispensaries referred to as ROs, who say they were improperly kept from obtaining dispensary licenses.

“It has been one of the things that have been an obstacle or something that’s weighing on how we move forward,” he said.

Now that the injunction has been lifted and Price is hoping to open his shop 82-J by the end of the month, his next step after building out the dispensary at 1673 Hertel Ave. will be to hire staff.

“We have identified a couple of individuals that we believe will be a great asset because of their their current knowledge of cannabis, and

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Watch a previous NBC4 report on Ohio’s legalization of cannabis in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — While Ohio’s voter-approved initiative legalizing cannabis is now in effect, the state’s medical dispensaries remain operational and could begin selling recreational marijuana.

Issue 2, which voters passed Nov. 7 with 57% support, legalizes the sale, purchase and possession of cannabis for Ohioans who are 21 and older. However, unlike the abortion rights constitutional amendment that also passed, Issue 2 appeared on the ballot as an initiated statute — giving state lawmakers the final word.

Now, legislators at the Statehouse are negotiating how to alter the enactment of Issue 2 through two competing bills — House Bill 86, approved 28-2 in the Senate on Dec. 6, and House Bill 354, awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives.

Ohio’s LGBTQ+ population among largest in U.S., report says

Endorsed by Gov. Mike DeWine, H.B. 86 would allow for recreational sales at the state’s 114 medical dispensaries. Once passed by the House and signed into law, dispensaries would have to wait 90 days for the legislation to go into effect before selling could begin.

Still,

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Bringing Farm-to-Front-Door Cannabis with a Personal Touch to Bakersfield Residents

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, December 13, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Over the past five years, the cannabis industry in Bakersfield, California, has witnessed a significant transformation. The city, once known for its conservative stance, has gradually embraced the burgeoning cannabis market, mirroring the statewide acceptance and legalization of marijuana. This shift has been driven by a growing recognition of cannabis’s therapeutic benefits and its potential for economic growth.

The industry’s evolution in Bakersfield is marked by an increase in licensed dispensaries, cultivation sites, and a more diverse range of products available to consumers. The city has seen a surge in cannabis-related businesses, contributing to local economies through job creation and tax revenues. This growth has been accompanied by stringent regulations to ensure consumer safety and product quality, aligning with California’s broader goals for a responsible and sustainable cannabis market.

In this dynamic landscape, Golden State Canna Weed Dispensary Delivery Bakersfield has emerged as a leader in California’s cannabis delivery sector. Known affectionately as “Your Grandma’s Favorite Dealer,” Golden State Canna offers a unique farm-to-front-door service that sets it apart in the industry. The dispensary prides itself on working closely with small-scale cannabis farmers

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First legal cannabis dispensary in Rochester-Finger Lakes region opens | WHAMPlease ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 04:10:44 GMT (1702440644851)

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A bill that will allow more of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana growers and processors to also act as retailers — and vice-versa — fully cleared the legislature on Tuesday and will head to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.

Despite some legislators’ predictions earlier this year that the bill could — or should — become a vehicle for home-growing or even full adult legalization, the bill that passed the state Senate in September was partially broadened and partially narrowed through deal-making in the House.

Most notably, the bill was amended in the House so that not only are independent growers/processors eligible to open dispensary locations but independent dispensaries are now eligible to apply to become growers.

However, the number of dispensary permits that independent growers/processors would be automatically eligible for was reduced by the House from two to one, much to the dismay of the bill’s original author.

“That’s certainly frustrating to us because we did a lot of market research and calculations in terms of what we determined should be two permits versus one,” said Sen. Chris Gebhard, R-Lebanon County.

“We are putting them in a very difficult position long term to compete in the marketplace,” Gebhard said of prospective grower-retailers.

But the Senate still concurred to the

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