Good news, Leafly Nation. Every day brings us closer to more stores in more places serving more tasty dank buds and cool vapes than ever before. There’s so many popping up in legalization states young and old that we’re starting to list them in a “Grand Openings” post at the beginning of the month. Know of a grand opening? Email us at Leafly. Let’s dig in.

Arizona

Story Cannabis Company—Bullhead City, AZ. Opened Aug. 1. Conveniently located off the 95 and Bullhead Pkwy. Staffed by ‘passionate cannabis experts.’ Daily deals on premium brands. 3550 North Ln. #110, Bullhead City, AZ 86422. [Shop on Leafly]

California

The Artist Tree—Hawthorne, CA. Opened Aug. 20. ‘Less than four miles from LAX.’ ‘Hawthorne’s only smoking lounge’ adorned with décor from local artists, including an original exterior mural. ‘Seamless open floor plan.’ 4756 W. Imperial Hwy, Hawthorne, CA 90304.

Muha Meds—Los Angeles, CA. Opened July 6. ‘Immersive retail experience’ complete with ‘dynamic murals’ highlighting Los Angeles culture and ‘holographic features’ alongside ‘fun and innovative promotions, incentive programs and a menu of delights that continues to evolve.’ 2131 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Private Reserve—Hollywood, CA. Opened June 21. ‘West Hollywood’s newest and most intimate cannabis lounge.’ Offering an ‘unparalleled hospitality experience’ where guests can enjoy ‘individual servings of top tier strains usually only available for retail purchase at a high price point.’ Reservations required. 8448 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Solful—Healdsburg, CA. Opens Oct. 11. ‘The very first dispensary to open and operate in Healdsburg.’ ‘Iconic ‘flower wall,’ featuring 40 cannabis varieties from local farms. 465 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Stiiizy—Encinitas, CA. Opened Aug. 10. Marking Stiiizy’s 35^th retail shop to open in California, the bestselling brand’s new flagship location in Encinitas is now open seven days a week and stocked with all the products and gear you’ve come to know and love. 1030 N Coast Hwy 10, Encinitas, CA 92024. [Shop on Leafly]

Massachusetts

City Farm by Silver Therapeutics—Roslindale, MA. Opened Sept. 6. ‘Beautiful facility’ with ‘top shelf products’ and ‘educated budtenders eager to serve with a smile.’ Conveniently located ‘just eight miles from the heart of Boston.’ 721 American Legion Hwy, Roslindale, MA 02131. [Shop on Leafly]

Mississippi

Southern Sky Wellness—Vicksburg, MS. Opened Sept. 2. ‘Modern, welcoming environment’ with educational menus and ‘state-of-the-art facilities’ featuring ‘an expanded selection of premium products.’ 2080 S. Frontage Rd, Suite 106, Vicksburg, MS 39180. [Shop on Leafly]

Southern Sky Wellness—Bay St. Louis, MS. Opened Sept. 6. ‘Modern, welcoming environment’ with educational menus and ‘state-of-the-art facilities’ featuring ‘an expanded selection of premium products.’ 10209 Highway 603, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520.

Missouri

Greenlight—Rock Port, MO. Opened July 23. ‘Strategically located thirty minutes from Nebraska City and one hour from Lincoln and Omaha.’ Features ‘over 300 branded cannabis products’ and a convenient drive-thru option. 105 Speedy’s Dr, Rock Port, MO 64482. [Shop on Leafly]

New York

Silver Therapeutics—Saratoga Springs, NY. Opened July 26. Partnership with woman-owned Spa City Cannabis, LLC and Saratoga Springs’ first cannabis dispensary. ‘Close to the highway with over 25 parking spots.’  75 Weibel Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. [Shop on Leafly]

Verona Collective at Verona Crossroads—Verona, NY. Opened Aug. 8. New flagship location for the Oneida Indian Nation’s seed-to-sale cannabis enterprise with ‘expansive inventory of more than 160 high-quality products across four brands.’ 5528 NY-31 Verona, NY 13478.

Ohio

On August 6, 2024, the state of Ohio officially went legal with adult-use sales. While there aren’t any grand openings to list, here is a list of the dispensaries that now offer recreational sales in Ohio.

Sunnyside Recreational & Medical—Cincinnati, OH. 5149 Kennedy Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45213. [Shop on Leafly]

Sunnyside Recreational & Medical—Marion, OH. 326 James Way, Marion, OH 43302. [Shop on Leafly]

Sunnyside Recreational & Medical—Newark, OH. 1546 W Church St, Newark, OH 43055. [Shop on Leafly]

Sunnyside Recreational & Medical— Chillicothe, OH. 1641 N Bridge St, Chillicothe, OH 45601. [Shop on Leafly]

Sunnyside Recreational & Medical— Wintersville, OH. 180 Main St, Wintersville, OH 43952. [Shop on Leafly]

Verilife (Non-Medical)—Hillsboro, OH. 1088 N High St, Hillsboro, OH 45133. [Shop on Leafly]

Verilife (Non-Medical)—Wapakoneta, OH. 502 Dixie Hwy, Wapakoneta, OH 45895. [Shop on Leafly]

Verilife (Non-Medical)—Cincinnati, OH. 5431 Ridge Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45213. [Shop on Leafly]

Nirvana (Med/Non-Med)—Elyria, OH. 914 Cleveland St, Elyria, OH 44035. [Shop on Leafly]

The Citizen By Klutch(Med/Non-Med)—Lorain, OH. 5152 Grove Ave, Lorain, OH 44055. [Shop on Leafly]

The Citizen By Klutch(Med/Non-Med)—Canton, OH. 401 Cherry Ave NE, Canton, OH 44702. [Shop on Leafly]

Washington, D.C.

Miel Wellness—Washington, D.C. Opened Sept. 14. ‘Curated selection, where convenience meets luxury.’ Staffed by a ‘passionate team dedicated to elevating your understanding of cannabis culture’ by being ‘at the forefront of the latest trends and insights.’ 727 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003. [Shop on Leafly]

International

S.W.E.D.—Amsterdam, NL. Opened Aug. 1. Second ‘Smoke Weed Every Day’ location from rap superstar Snoop Dogg. Hybrid coffee shop and dispensary with a ‘unique blend of high-quality products, exclusive strains, artisanal edibles, and top-tier cannabis accessories, all handpicked by Snoop.’ Marnixstraat 333, 1016 TC Amsterdam.

The cannabis industry is on edge as it waits to see how the federal government acts.  On one side is the slow moving Biden/Harris administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) slow walking rescheduling. The DEA is having to wade through overwhelming positive support for fellow agencies and the general public. On the other side, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has allowed groups from his party to protest and try to stop the process and issuing statements on the dangers of marijuana. Coupled with a mess in California and a significant drop in investment in the industry as everyone waits the outcome, things are tough. But there are positive signs for NY legal marijuana.

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New York was one track to be the biggest single market perhaps in the word in the when they approved recreational marijuana. But a last minute major overhaul of the process a few weeks before it rolled out ended in a massive chaos. January 2023 launch the first legal store, but at year end there were roughly 25 legal dispensaries and ultimately 2,800 illicit ones in the Empire State. While consumers may or may not have known or cared about the legality of where they shopped, they should. The products in the stores are unregulated, which is a strong health issue as ingredients and dosage could vary significantly.

Joe Hodas, President of Wana shared “Wana’s entry in the New York market has been a move that’s been in the works for quite some time. We’ve already established a strong presence in over 20 stores, including The Travel Agency and Housing Works. Orders are rolling in and more locations will be coming online soon. While our initial focus is on the New York City area, we’re working on expansion into upstate as well. We believe New York will be one of the most important states on the map for us and we are excited to get more products into the hands of New Yorkers and all those who visit from around the world.”

When asked about why enter the NY market now, Hodas responded.

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“The Travel Agency is thrilled to partner with Wana in this vibrant New York cannabis market, that we’ve helped grow since its launch. Wana is also one of this industry’s pioneers, building their business through consistent products and the exploration of new formats and flavors. We look forward to collaborating with Wana in providing New Yorkers with safe, high-quality cannabis experience.” stated Paul Yau, The Travel Agency, Co-Founder and CEO. One of the larger, legal dispensary brand in NYC.

Most people follow the law without even thinking – which has been good for people and marijuana 

Over 50% of the country has access to legal cannabis. Veterans, patients, and everyday people have access to a product which helps medical or provide for some fun. The mood and perception of the country has changed dramatically since legalization and now some 85+% of the country believe it should be legal in some form.  It is no longer a taboo in most of the US and definitely not in Canada. And there is some interesting research about how people are reacting to legal weed.

RELATED: Is New York Finally Getting Its Marijuana Act Together

Prohibition was a great experiment which not only annoyed the general population, but also taught people how to break the laws.  The US, Canada, Finland and Iceland all made alcohol illegal and they had a portion of the population set aside the law and try to figure out how to get booze.  The experiment ended, just as the marijuana prohibition will end at some point. And already you are seeing a BIG change of behavior with average consumers.

As legal dispensaries take root, the public seeings them as another legitimate retailers, except in New York where illicit stores have outnumber legal ones 10 to 1.  NuggMD< According to according to a new poll conducted by the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD, a cannabis Telehealth platform funded a study about purchasing habit. In legal market 77% of people buy all or most of their cannabis from regulated stores. And, important for law enforcement, only 6% said they get none of their marijuana from legal stores.

From a consumer standpoint, this is important because the product have gone through testing and are also legal and, most, have exactly what is on the the label.  Wana Brands, one of the largest products companies held off entering the NYC market until they began correcting the mess. The public is more comfortable in a proper setting where there is little worry or surprise.

RELATED: Cannabis Can Help Soreness After Summertime Activities

Another change due to legalization is with Boomers. The generation which first embraced marijuana has begun reconnecting.  Having be frightened by the zealous War on Drugs, most moved away out of fear of breaking the law. But with the changes, they have started consuming again. And the surprise is Boomer are using it for health benefits.  They state it is good for inflammation, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping and more.

And, as Gen Z has entered adult, they have been in an era where marijuana has been legal. They have also helped lead the trend of California Sober where people have quit alcohol and only use weed.  Science has shown marijuana is a much better alternative them alcohol which can have some serious impact on the body.