BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It’s been two weeks now since the New York State’s cannabis control board approved the first dispensary license. 36 licenses were approved — none of them are in Western New York.
“So we have growers, we have processors in the area, we don’t have anyone selling it, and that’s the biggest issue,” said Aleece Burgio, General Counsel for MJI Solutions.
So what’s holding WNY back?
This first set of licenses are for people who were impacted by cannabis convictions in the past, called Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD).
CAURD
Kenneth Gay, who owns Variscite NY One Inc., is suing the New York State Office of Cannabis Management because he was disqualified being that his cannabis-related crime was committed in Michigan, so he’s claiming he state is discriminating and violating constitutional law.
The following five regions where he applied are now barred from receiving licenses for the time being:
Western New YorkCentral New YorkBrooklynMid-HudsonFinger Lakes Taylor Epps Five regions are barred from receiving cannabis licensing because of a court case
How does this impact us locally?
Well, it looks like the wait continues for dispensaries in WNY.
“It’s tough right now in the business and having this very slow progression,”