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New York Officials Celebrate 500th Marijuana Dispensary Opening, With $2.3 Billion In Sales Since Market Launch

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6 months ago

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New York’s marijuana regulators are celebrating the opening of the state’s 500th legal cannabis dispensary, citing $2.3 billion in adult sales since the market opened, supporting about 25,000 jobs across the industry.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Green Comfort Dispensary became the 500th adult-use marijuana licensee to open its doors in the state since its launch in late 2022.

Felicia AB Reid, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), said in a press release that “the growing number of licensed dispensaries reflects a market that is maturing with a purpose.”

“Every new business represents economic growth, community investment and safer access for consumers,” he said. “Together, New York’s legal cannabis market, industry innovation and consumer demand show no signs of slowing down,” they state.




Beyond the 500 store milestone, OCM also highlighted other industry growth statistics, including the approval of 1,949 adult cannabis businesses across all license types. Today there are dispensaries in 51 regions and 161 municipalities throughout the state.

“Each licensed store represents an operator, proven products and a community that chooses safer cannabis,” said Jessica Garcia, president of the Cannabis Control Board (CCB). “Reaching 500 shows the momentum of the industry and our focus on equity, compliance and consumer protection.”

Of the nearly 2,000 adult-use licenses issued so far, OCM said 56 percent have gone to social equity businesses that have been disproportionately affected by the ban.

With tax revenue from marijuana sales and license fees, $5 million has been invested in community reinvestment initiatives, another $5 million has gone toward a grant program for conditional business licenses for eligible applicants, and $2.6 million has contributed to technical assistance for those seeking to enter the market.

“Equity has been the bedrock of this market since the beginning,” said Simone Washington, Chief Equity Officer at OCM. “Achieving this milestone reinforces that progress is possible when equity is built and embedded in the system. Our focus remains that equity is not just a paper principle, but a measurable outcome at every level of the industry.”

Tim Tanavung, CEO of Green Comfort Dispensary, said “it is truly an honor to be recognized as NYS’s 500th licensed historic dispensary.”


Green Comfort Dispensary - New York's 500th licensed adult cannabis dispensary

“It is truly a labor of love and passion from myself, David and the entire staff at Green Comfort,” he said. “We are excited to promote a vessel that we can give back to the community, the city of Rochester and the state. We are optimistic for the future of Green Comfort and NYS cannabis.”

As for marijuana sales in the Empire State, regulators announced in September that the state had It officially surpassed $2 billion in adult cannabis purchases.

Meanwhile, given the confusion in the market about temporary license terms, the CCB said it will extend the renewal period for adult conditional use to December 31, 2026.

“This extension provides more time for licensees to secure viable locations and obtain full licensure,” OCM said. “It will also apply to temporary licenses issued between September 9, 2025 and December 30, 2025, ensuring clarity and consistency for all temporary licensees.”

Part of the uncertainty surrounding provisional licensees a the recently identified zoning issue affects more than 100 cannabis businesses Those located too close to public schools or places of worship than permitted by applicable statute. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she will push the legislature to change the state’s marijuana law to address the problem.

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Meanwhile, both chambers of New York’s legislature passed the legislation earlier this year extend the deadline for electronic tax returns for marijuana companiessending the proposal near the governor’s desk.

If signed into law, the measure would give cannabis manufacturers and distributors an extra 30 days to file their tax returns after the end of each quarterly tax year. Currently, companies have 20 days to submit documents, and the legislation would extend it to 50 days.

Sponsors of the bill noted that Hochul vetoed the cannabis business tax reform proposal late last year, saying it would lead to “significant operational challenges for the state and confusion for taxpayers,” but that they have worked to address those concerns in the current version.

The earlier measure would have been vetoed It allowed marijuana growers and processors to pay excise taxes annually rather than quarterly—A change that would extend the same treatment that the state already offers to the alcohol industry.

In July, New York officials announced First round of grants for $5 million program to support retail marijuana businesses for justice-involved people cover start-up costs.

About three months after opening applications Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) Grant ProgramOCM and Empire State Development (ESD) announced Wednesday that 52 licensed dispensaries have been awarded up to $30,000 each for start-up and operating costs such as rent, renovations, inventory tracking and security systems.

To enter the program, applicants must be “justice-involved,” meaning a marijuana-related conviction, and experience running a profitable business.

Meanwhile, OCM recently launched a new online map to help adults find licensed marijuana shops—one of the latest efforts to encourage consumers to buy their cannabis on the regulated market.

After a surprising expansion of the state’s legalization law opened the door to a proliferation of illegal marijuana shops, governors and regulators have made it a priority to educate citizens about the need to buy their products from licensed dispensaries as a health and safety imperative.

The broader New York campaign also involved digital advertising and educational resources, including a guide to safe consumption practices, as well as graphics and videos from licensed cannabis business owners and messages about the benefits of participating in the regulated market.

OCM also advises that “enforcement against the illegal market is critical to building a regulated health market,” pointing to what it describes as a successful enforcement effort in 2024. Last spring, for example, New York City officials launched Operation Padlock, an enforcement initiative aimed at shutting down illegal storefronts.. Within a few months, sales at licensed stores that were open before the start of operations rose 105 percent, according to an OCM survey.

Regulators are also moving forward new regulations proposed around the state’s “cannabis showcase” programwhich allows licensed businesses to sell to consumers at farmers market-like events.

As originally authorized, the showcase events were largely a response to the slow expansion of New York’s adult marijuana program. There have been numerous delays in implementation between lawsuits and other issues.

Separately, Hochul signed state budget legislation it did not include a previously controversial provision that would have allowed police to use the smell of marijuana as probable cause that a driver is impaired and then forced to take a drug test.

Legislative amendments removed the provision, which had a coalition of 60 reform groups He argued that Hochul-i and senior lawmakers would “repeat some of the worst damage of the war on drugs.” and allow law enforcement to “restart unconstitutional racial profiling of drivers.”

In April, New York cannabis regulators and labor officials has announced the launch of a staff training program The state’s marijuana industry is legally required to “provide comprehensive safety training to employees.”

Additionally, the press secretary of the OCM stated that the office is working on plans to expand permit and license regulations. adults can buy and use marijuana in movie theaters. Allowing the sale of cannabis products in theaters would set New York apart as the state continues to build legalization legislation.

At the beginning of the year, a collective Companies licensed under the CAURD program asked Hochul to forgive tens of millions of dollars in high-cost loans. issued under a social equity loan fund created by the governor.

A member of the state legislature In December, he said that there is a need to extend the subsidies to CAURD graduatesmany of them are struggling under high cost loans.

Critics — the NAACP New York State Conference, Black Cannabis Industry Association, Minority Cannabis Business Association, Service Disabled Veterans in Cannabis Association, Drug Policy Alliance, NYC NORML and VOCAL-NY — wrote to the governor earlier that month. to express dismay at what they described as marijuana regulators’ “efforts to serve big corporations at the expense of small business and equity results.”

Photo by Mike Latimer.

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Livermore Falls debates cannabis licensing fees

Published

11 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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Existing medical cannabis licensing fees will be temporarily applied to recreational marijuana businesses, the Select Committee decided on May 5. Board members agreed 4-1 to the temporary change, as long as officials say the fees are higher than necessary and accurately reflect the town’s oversight costs.

Bryce Cobb, Livermore Falls’ code enforcement officer, plumbing inspector, health officer and E-911 dispatcher, said voters approved the amended cannabis ordinance on April 28. Cobb said the amended ordinance allows recreational marijuana businesses and the next step was to establish a fee schedule. Recreational cannabis businesses operating in town would require local licensing approval under the ordinance.

Asked if he had fee schedules from other towns to compare, Cobb said he did not. Additionally, the town’s fee schedule specifically mentions medicinal cannabis.

“So it could be medical and adult use,” Cobb said when discussing whether the existing fee structure could apply to recreational businesses.

Read more at Sun Magazine










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Georgia Governor Signs Bill To Expand Medical Marijuana Access By Allowing Vaping And Adding New Qualifying Conditions

Published

12 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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The governor of Georgia has signed a bill expand access to medical marijuana in the state.

SB 220, which was approved by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Tuesday, will add new requirements to the program, allow patients to vape medical cannabis, and change THC potency limits, among other reforms.

Under the legislation, patients with lupus will be allowed access to medical marijuana, under current state law that allows people with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, autism spectrum disorder, intractable pain and other conditions to qualify.

The bill by Sen. Matt Brass (R) removes many of the requirements for a patient to be in a critical or terminal condition to enter the medical cannabis program.

The reform will also expand how patients can use medical marijuana. Until now, they have been able to obtain oils, tinctures, capsules, lozenges, topicals and transdermal patches, but the new law will also allow vaping as a form of vaping for patients over 21, while continuing to ban smoking for all patients.

The Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act also replaces the current 5 percent THC potency limit on medical cannabis products with a limit of 12,000 milligrams of THC that a patient can possess at any one time.

“These changes, while meaningful to affected patients, do not materially change where Georgia stands in the national landscape on this issue,” Kemp said in a signing statement. “This bill passed with a constitutional majority in both houses of the General Assembly.”

“I, like many who opposed this bill, have reservations about legalizing recreational cannabis. Many states that have legalized recreational cannabis have regretted that decision,” he said. “I also recognize that for some patients, medical cannabis provides significant relief from symptoms that would otherwise be untreated or treated with even more harmful opioids.”

“I do not believe that a well-implemented medical cannabis program should inevitably lead to the legalization of recreational use in Georgia, nor is the issue of recreational use on the bill on my desk for signature,” the governor said.

The invoice also replaces references to “low THC oil” in current laws with “medical cannabis.”

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It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

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The Georgia Medical Cannabis Access Commission, which oversees the program, “will have a new duty to inform citizens, law enforcement and health care providers about the effective uses of medical cannabis and its products, including publishing materials and conducting outreach and public education activities to inform the public, law enforcement and health care providers about this state’s medical cannabis program and the potential benefits for patients.”

Last year, the leaders of the Chamber a Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Georgia’s Medical Marijuana and Hemp Policies to examine state cannabis laws.

Georgia lawmakers have also considered the legislation supporting research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.

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EU regulators say Charlotte’s Web hemp CBD safety “cannot be established”

Published

1 day ago

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May 12, 2026

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The growing tension between international scientific findings and US health policy has raised questions about whether Medicare beneficiaries are being exposed to cannabinoid products whose safety profiles have not been fully established.

In March 2026, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out a formal scientific evaluation of a shipment of Charlotte’s Web hemp product, concluding that the safety of a carbon dioxide extract derived from Cannabis sativa L. “cannot be established”. The agency identified several gaps in the available data, including significant portions of the product remaining uncharacterized, a lack of reliable toxicological studies on the actual material, a lack of human clinical data, and an unknown allergenicity and long-term safety profile.

At the same time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) program. The initiative allows participating healthcare providers to discuss and supply certain hemp and marijuana-derived cannabinoid products to Medicare beneficiaries under the authority of the Center for Innovation, and does not require approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. That distinction is at issue in a pending federal case: Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), et al. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. et al., Case 1:26-cv-01081 (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia).

Under the FDA’s standard framework, products intended for therapeutic use typically undergo controlled clinical trials, dose standardization, safety and toxicology evaluation, and manufacturing and stability validation. The BEI program operates outside of this structure. Some observers point out that this could introduce products into federally funded care settings before those benchmarks are met, while proponents of the program characterize it as a legitimate model of innovation.

Medicare beneficiaries represent a medically complex population, with many patients managing multiple medications, chronic conditions, and increased susceptibility to drug interactions. Cannabinoid compounds, including THC, interact with metabolic pathways such as CYP450 enzymes, which process many common medications. The safety profile of these products in this population has not been fully characterized through controlled studies.

Following the launch of the program, several companies publicly announced their positioning within the emerging healthcare supply chain. Charlotte’s Web highlighted alignment with CMS drivers and Cornbread Hemp announced institutional distribution through a national group buying organization, reflecting broader commercialization activity in the category.

SAM v. In Kennedy, the court is evaluating whether CMS overstepped its statutory authority by introducing avenues for the supply of cannabinoids without formal regulations, public notice and comment, or FDA validation standards. A resolution will determine whether the program is scaled back, modified, or stopped pending further review as implemented.

The EFSA’s conclusion does not ban the marketing of CBD products, but indicates that the scientific evidence necessary to fully establish their safety remains incomplete. The political debate reflects a broader question in health care regulation: how to balance the pace of innovation for therapeutic products with the standards of evidence typically required in federally funded systems of care.

Source: MMJ International Holdings

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