First Legal Weed Market Opens in Lower Hudson Valley

While there has been at least some progress in recent weeks, New York state's cannabis rollout continues to move painfully slow. According to Cannabis NY, there are currently only 26 legal recreational weed dispensaries operating in New York state, and a few of them run on a delivery-only basis.

However, a new market has opened in the Hudson Valley, which will sell weed products from cultivators from around New York, according to LoHud.

Will the State of New York Finally See A Lot More Legal Weed Shops? 

Back in October, the New York Office of Cannabis Management announced that they are planning to distribute between 1,000 to 1,500 adult-use cannabis licenses. The Office's Chief Equity Officer Damian Fagon says that half of those will be new retail dispensary licenses.

New Legal Weed Market Opens in Westchester County 

LoHud is reporting that a new point of sale market, which is being called the Cannabis Growers Showcase, will open at 244 Main Street in downtown White Plains.

Of course, there is a bit of a catch. According to Patch, the showcase will only be open until December 31.

General Manager Raphael Bassalobre told LoHud that the market will feature a wide range of products from all over the state, and will sell everything from "pre-rolls, to drinks and edibles and gummy form."

What Towns and Areas in the Hudson Valley Opted In?

Of course, there still aren't any legal weed shops (beyond medical) open in the Hudson Valley as of yet. The wait continues as of now, though hopefully, it won't be long.

Other Hurdles That Slowed Expansion

Cannabis expansion across New York had also been temporarily put on hold after a lawsuit was filed against the OCM by four veterans, who alleged "that the licensing process for cannabis dispensary licenses is discriminatory and leaves out service veterans.",

The NY Post says that before "only those with a criminal marijuana conviction could get an Empire State cannabis sales permit." However, the Post says that under the aggressive new expansion plans, half of the new licenses will go to veterans, minority owned businesses, as well as distressed farmers.