Dr. Greenthumb’s cultivates a new following in Santa Maria. O’ahu patients say aloha to the island’s tenth dispensary. And Louisiana’s new 10,000-square-foot superstore opens its doors in Lake Charles. Here are the new dispensaries openings across America this month.

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California

Dr. Greenthumb’s—Santa Maria, CA. Opened Dec. 7. Buying cannabis from a chain owned by a member of hip hop group Cypress Hill just feels right. Owned by rapper B Real, Dr. Greenthumb’s is a popular chain of cannabis dispensaries named for the group’s 1998 ode to cultivating chronic. Their newest location — the chain’s seventh to open in California — brings the familiar touch of expert budtenders and exceptional product to the good people of Orcutt. 1604 East Clark Ave, Ste 101, Santa Maria.

Red Falcon Yucca Valley Dispensary— Yucca Valley, CA. Opened Dec. 7. Residents of Yucca Valley had an additional reason to celebrate this holiday season with the debut of the area’s first legal cannabis dispensary. Run by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, the shop is set to feature products made exclusively in-house within the Coachella Valley. With the opening of their Yucca Valley location, the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is now overseeing three Red Falcon Dispensary stores in southern California. 54929 29 Palms Hwy, Yucca Valley.

Connecticut

Shangri-La—Norwalk, CT. Opened Nov. 26. You’ll have no trouble spotting the bold pink and purple paint marking Norwalk’s newest dispensary. Marking the third — and final — dispensary to be allowed to open in the city, Shangri-La features a “candy-colored drive-thru” and a retail space infused with a diverse inventory of cannabis products. The opening of Shangri-La will serve as the chain’s second Norwalk location, joining a previously opened store at 430 Main Ave. 75 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk. shangriladispensaries.com/norwalk-shop/

Florida

Planet 13—Gulf Breeze, FL. Opened Dec. 18. Continuing their aggressive expansion into the Sunshine State, Planet 13 opened their 29th dispensary in Florida late last month. Located “within proximity of Pensacola’s iconic white sand beaches [and] historic downtown,” Planet 13’s Gulf Breeze location will serve the metro area’s growing medical cannabis community with conveniences that include express pick-up and drive-thru options. 2871 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze.

Hawaii

Cure Oahu—Kailua, HI. Opened Dec. 5. Qualified patients seeking medical cannabis in Kailua can now head to Cure O’ahu: the brand’s third store to open on the island so far. Marking O’ahu’s tenth dispensary to open to date, Cure O’ahu’s Kailua will carry forward with a mission to provide much-needed access to patients on the windward side of Oahu,” per Liam Gimon, Hawaii’s DOH Dispensary Licensing Supervisor. 70 Kihapai Street, Kailua.

Illinois

Beyond/Hello—Peoria, IL. Opened Dec. 13. Bid a welcome salutation to Beyond/Hello, Peoria’s fifth of sixth permitted dispensaries to open in the area. Making its debut just in time for the December holidays, Beyond/Hello is now overseeing five dispensaries across Illinois. Their Peoria location promises a LGBTQ+ friendly atmosphere, free parking, and a “wide range of cannabis products from nearly all IL grower processors and vendors.” 7620 IL-91 Suite A, Peoria.

Terrabis—Dixon, IL. Opened Dec. 21. Cannabis dispensary chain Terrabis continued its expansion into Illinois with the opening of its third store. Located in Dixon, the latest Terrabis location’s amenities include a customer loyalty program and a menu stocked with the best in local flower. Customers seeking additional cannabis products will find a hearty selection of pre-rolls, vape carts, edibles, and topicals available as well. 1679 S. Galena Ave., Dixon.

Louisiana

Good Day Farm—Lake Charles, LA. Opened Dec. 4. A new era is dawning with the opening of Good Day Farm in Lake Charles, which is being billed as “[the] largest medical cannabis dispensary in the South.” Clocking in at a staggering 10,000 square feet, Good Day Farm is counting on a colossal footprint paired with a generous inventory that includes “award-winning gummies, premium flower, flavorful vapes and convenient, bestselling pre-rolls.” Qualified patients can make purchases in-store, by drive-thru, or via Good Day Farm’s discreet delivery service. 3005 L’Auberge Blvd, Lake Charles.

New Jersey

Herbs Premium—Somerset, NJ. Opened Dec. 9. Residents of Somerset welcomed a new “go-to destination for elevated cannabis experiences” with the opening of Herbs Premium. Conceived as “a shared dream among close-knit family friends,” Herbs Premium was conceived as “a space that feels more like a high-end retreat than a typical dispensary.”  At Herb Premium, customers can take pleasure in speaking with experts who care, choosing between top-quality brands, and shopping at a store that supports the Somerset community through local initiatives. 757 Franklin Blvd, Somerset.

New York

Grass & Goodness— Schenectady, NY. Opened Nov. 30. Inspired by their own experiences overcoming personal struggles with the help of cannabis, Grass & Goodness is owned by a father-and-son team and staffed with trained cannabis experts. Grass & Goodness promises “a healthy dose of good vibes” and “the highest quality products from our local partners.” The shop’s offerings also include a dedicated community space that regularly plays host to educational events and yoga classes. 1650 Crane Street, Schenectady.

Domes Dispensary—Kingston, NY. Opened Nov. 30. You won’t find many dispensaries that can claim to look as cool as New York’s Domes Dispensary. Located off Route 28 near Woodstock, the Hudson Valley store consists of two connected geodesic domes. Beyond its gorgeous geometric design, Domes Dispensary sports a tantalizing menu of legal cannabis products that includes a variety of flower, tinctures, concentrates, and more. 268 Forest Hill Drive, Kingston.

Fireleaf—Brooklyn, NY. Opened Nov. 30. Trinidadian-American lawyer Vaughn Mayers saw a long saga draw to a joyful close with the opening of Fireleaf Dispensary in late November. Mayers has formerly faced legal troubles related to cannabis, making the long-awaited launch of his legal dispensary in Brooklyn, New York a true cause for jubilation. “It was a really hurtful thing, growing up in the streets of Brooklyn,” Mayers told a reporter from Caribbean Life at his store’s grand opening. “This is a reparative moment for me.” 2102 Ralph Avenue, Brooklyn.

Texas

Texas Original—The Woodlands, TX. Opened Dec. 9. Getting medical cannabis in Texas has gone from a surefire felony to a legal right, leaving the door wide open for qualified patients to finally enjoy consistent access to quality products. For those who reside in The Woodlands, the arrival of Texas Original is big news. Now open three days a week, the chain — currently the leading licensed medical cannabis dispensary service in Texas — hopes its newest location will make life easier for patients in the Houston area. 1500 Research Forest Dr, Ste 120, The Woodlands.

Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.

Got a new shop? Get it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise. 

Bold flavor and bag appeal are helping Spritz make waves nationwide. Here’s what founder Queen Pee has in store for New York’s legal weed market in 2025.

Spritz has something special for all five of your senses. Your nose will be drawn to their booming terps, which include “loudest in the room” flavors like Green Apple, Pineapple Cake, and Cherry Spritz. From touch, to taste, Spritz more than lives up to the bold aroma. And it’s all pulled together by eye-grabbing bag appeal–Curated by founder Pilar “Queen Pee” Vargas, whose already boosted sales for successful brands like Sluggers, Joke’s Up, and her own Cali-bestseller, Pwincess Cutt.

How Queen Pee became the Queen pin of legal cannabis

Queen Pee made Pwincess Cutt a hit out west with pure determination. She knocked on dispensary doors until her product was on shelves. Then she used her massive digital reach (including 1.3 million Instagram followers) to make sure her bags sold out at retailers like Cookies and the Ice Kream Dispensary in California.

“My job out in New York is to take all the legacy of people who are brands like Certz who are about to go legal, and to help them cross over. Help them with marketing.”

Queen Pee, Spritz Flower

Now, Pee’s launching Spritz in New York, Michigan and more legal states using what she’s learned in the Cali market. During a sit down with Leafly at Certz Midtown Lounge this fall, Pee said she was surprised by the warm welcome she’s gotten from New York’s cannabis community so far.

While visiting growers and processors upstate, Pee studied the challenges facing the state’s licensed farms and stores. Soon, she’ll announce which processor will be trusted to bring Spritz’ powerful terp profiles to New York dispensary shelves in 2025.

These Spritz flavors live up to their bold names

Growing up, Queen Pee could never bring a B home to her strict military father. And she’s still striving for straight A’s when it comes to her strains. Flavors like Pancakes will satisfy the smokers with a sweet tooth. While Blue Widow (Blueberry x White Widow) adds earthy, piney, undertones to the berry-citrus medley–perfect for New Yorkers who prefer more funk than fruitiness from their terps.

Long term, Pee said her true goal is to use Spritz and Sluggers Hit to empower legacy New York growers and sellers who want equity, exposure, and access to the legal market. From Daddy’s Princess to the Queen pin of legal cannabis–Pee and the Spritz team are only getting started. Favorite their Leafly page for regular updates on their journey to New York dispensary shelves.

About Spritz: The Loudest in the Room

Spritz buds boast a flavor profile that’s truly out of this world, thanks to an innovative molecular infusion process. So prepare your taste buds for a journey through space and time.

At Spritz, quality is a top priority. First, the Spritz team selects the finest hand-trimmed buds before using state-of-the-art infusion techniques. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or new to the cannabis scene, Spritz offers an unmatched terpene profile that you will never forget, because each bud is crafted with passion and dedication. Spritz’ experts team has works tirelessly to bring you the loudest terps in the room. Stay tuned for more on Spritz journey from seed to New York dispensary shelves!

For nearly two centuries, this New York farm has harvested organic crops, horses, and now, legal cannabis.

Immigrants have always come to the United States in search of a better life. But they can’t anticipate what their descendants might do in a new land. Lucas Kerr’s industrious ancestors likely never would have guessed that, one day, sprawling cannabis plants would grow on their family farm. 

Kerr’s family came from Scotland in 1840, settling in the Catskills in 1846 on a few hundred acres to jumpstart their American dream. Torrwood Farm, as it’s called, has been many things over the last two centuries—harvests of organic crops, a horse farm, replanting sites for chestnut trees, and a water farm with some of the cleanest water in the country. Now, the leafy stalks of cannabis grow among black walnut trees, seasonal veggies, and apple orchards. 

Kerr didn’t expect to go into farming. He’d visit the historical site with his extended family for holidays, but his dreams lay elsewhere. During the Iraq War, Kerr joined the military, working his way up the ranks to the coveted 75th Ranger regiment. He did, as he puts it, “quite a few” tours, and rejoined civilian life with a business plan contracting with the Department of Defense. But he was noticing that many of his fellow veterans weren’t faring so well. Veterans dealing with injuries were given opioids without much supervision or consideration for adverse effects, while others struggled to cope with the post-traumatic stress of combat after an abrupt return home. 

“I lost more friends to suicide and to the opioid epidemic, where the VA was just giving out pills like candy… It was insane. As I got more involved and evolved within the cannabis industry, I just said, ‘this is the answer for a lot of these guys.’”

Lucas Kerr, Torrwood Farm

Kerr discovered, as many veterans—including cannabis pioneer Dennis Peron—do, cannabis provided a holistic, medicinal alternative. While New York had established its medical marijuana industry in 2016, it exclusively licensed multistate operators with a limited range of products.

After the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, Kerr began researching hemp, hoping to eventually manufacture bandages for the army. He was living in California when the pandemic hit, but took the risk to fly back to New York and break ground on his first hemp harvest. “I just bootstrapped it and went out there with no farming experience, and just started figuring it out on the fly,” he told Leafly this fall.

Kerr began farming hemp in anticipation of New York’s adult-use legalization, and got his cultivation license in 2022; he later also acquired licenses for processing and distribution. But cannabis is a fickle plant, and after a long search for the perfect lead grower, Kerr hired Paul Bernal to take the cultivation reins. 

Bernal grew up in New England but learned the cannabis trade in Humboldt, California. His methods reflect the symbiotic, California approach. He tries to feed the grow from materials found around the farm, harness the sunlight, and cultivate for both terpenes and cannabinoids. 

Torrwood currently cultivates, processes, and distributes a growing roster of products, including flower for Doobie Labs, prerolls for Dash and Weekenders, and a new line of gummy edibles. Both Paul and Lucas anticipate 2025 will be the year for Torrwood’s own brand to launch with a line of unique genetics to allow consumers, as Bernal puts it, “push the vision into whatever direction that they want to go into.” The harvest season has become a family affair, with Kerr relatives pouring in to help prune the plants.