Happy Anniversary MRTA!
Be in the Right Room.
Spring Has Sprung
Blink. Four years has gone by. Indeed. March 31, 2025, marks 4 years for the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) of New York State which was signed into law March 31, 2021, legalizing adult-use cannabis. Happy Anniversary MRTA!
Cannabis Means Business, CMB, (formerly CWCBExpo), featured Chair Tremaine Wright, at our 2021 Conference & Expo at the Jacob Javits Center. It was her first keynote address as Chair of the Cannabis Control Board (CCB).
It was exciting on so many levels. The energy of being back in-person was exhilarating. That year, as venues began to re-open, several live in-person expos started up again across many business sectors. We held our 2021 event in October and returned to our typical date pattern in the spring of 2022.
Equally exciting and energizing was that NYS had legalized adult-use cannabis earlier that year. Much has happened in four years. Like many of the states, MRTA’s rollout had its challenges and still has many to tackle. NYS remains one of the top markets for cannabis business owners and investors to seize upon and make their mark here.
As we soak up the warming air and sun this spring, and say goodbye to March, let’s remember it is MRTA’s birthday. The Office of Cannabis Management has accomplished much in the past 4 years.
- More than $1Billion in retail sales has been clocked
- CCB issued over 1,600 licenses across several types of cannabis businesses
- The number of legal dispensaries is closing in on 340
- Social Equity programs were implemented successfully with over 50% of all adult-use licenses being awarded to Social and Economic Equity (SEE) applicants including Service-Disabled Veterans, Women, Distressed Farmers
- Working collaboratively with all state and city agencies to shutdown illicit cannabis businesses
- …and much more
Blink.
Four more years will go by.
Much more will be accomplished.
Cannabis Means Business – Now in its 11th Year
Cannabis Means Business, formerly CWCBExpo – now in its 11th year– is a conference and expo that reflects the rapid growth of cannabis as a legitimate global industry. It is the place to be if you want to expand your business in the cannabis industry.
Cannabis Means BUsiness Conference & Expo
June 4 – 5
Javits Convention Center, NYC
New York State Cannabis News
New York State Office of Cannabis Management, Cannabis Control Board, Cannabis Advisory Board |
The CCB held a meeting on March 20, 2025. Some highlights include:
- Over 100 new adult-use licenses were approved for a total of 1,614 across the NYS, of which 225 are CAURD licenses
- Adult-use sales have passed $220 million already in 2025 with most of the sales coming from dispensaries in Manhattan, Queens and Long Island
- The CAURD Grant Program was launched designed to help CAURD licensees actually get their dispensaries started. Although the amount of the grants is small, at least the program exists. It covers quite a few expenses regarding dispensary openings
- US Veterans support regarding cannabis use, employment and business opportunities
- Issuance of a new license for research that allows the licensee to get cannabis for research purposes and studies from licensed dispensaries, processors, and cultivators
- Extended the provisional licenses for 6 months for those issued prior to February 1, 2025
- …many other items were discussed and resolutions made
Recent New York Adult-Use Dispensary Openings
Noteworthy is that 338 legal Adult-Use dispensaries were operational by March 28, 2025. Congratulations to these newly opened dispensaries in NYS.
Yerba Buena
BROOKLYN | 292 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn 11201
Website: https://yerbabuena.nyc
FlynnStoned Rochester
ROCHESTER | 125 State Street, Rochester 14614
Website: https://flynnstoned.com
Chelsea Cannabis Co.
MANHATTAN | 104 7th Avenue, New York 10011
Website: https://chelseacannabis.co
Command Cannabis Dispensary
BLASDELL | 3871 South Park Ave, Blasdell 14219
Website: https://commandcannabiswny.com
Coney Island Cannabis
BROOKLYN | 875 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn 11224
Website: https://coneyislandcannabisny.com
Jungle Kingdom Flower
BROOKLYN | 515 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn 11216
Website: https://junglekingdomflower.com
Hell’s Kitchen Cannabis*
*This is a microbusiness with retail location.
MANHATTAN | 356 W 40th Street, New York 10018
Website: https://hkcc.nyc
Cannabis on Lex
MANHATTAN | 459 Lexington Avenue, New York 10017
Website: https://cannabisonlex.com
RENAISSAÑT NYC
SUNNYSIDE | 40-07 A Queens Blvd, Sunnyside, NY 11104
Website: https://renaissant.nyc
Cloud Nine Legal Cannabis Dispensary
YONKERS | 305 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers 10701
Website: https://cloudninelcd.com
LA FFOCA
NIAGARA FALLS | 1618 18th Street, Niagara Falls 14305
Website: https://laffoca.com
Starlife Dispensary
WHITE PLAINS | 1 Hall Avenue, White Plains 10603
Website: https://starlifedispensary.com
Canna Planet Wappingers
WAPPINGERS FALLS | 1444 Route 9D, Wappingers Falls 12590
Website: https://cannaplanet.com/location/wappingers
Culture Canna Co.
CORNING | 90 E Market Street, Unit 101, Corning 14830
Website: https://culturecanna.co
Lively Harvest*
*This is a microbusiness with retail location.
MARGARETVILLE | 75 Bridge Street, Margaretville 12455
Website: https://livelyharvestny.com
Canna Buddha
BAYSIDE | 215-46 39th Avenue, Bayside 11361
Website: https://cannabuddha.us
Silver Cannabis Company Albany
ALBANY | 10 Executive Park Drive, Albany 12203
Website: https://silver-therapeutics.com
Gaea’s Garden*
*This is a microbusiness with retail location.
FLUSHING | 134-24 Northern Blvd, Flushing 11354
Website: https://gaeas.garden
Paint, Puff ‘n Peace
MANHATTAN | 2119 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York 10026
Dream Daze
DEPEW | 5100 Transit Rd, Depew, NY 14034
Website: https://thedreamdaze.com
Bud City Cannabis
BROOKLYN | 3343 Fulton Street, Brooklyn 11208
Website: https://budcityny.com
Third Rock Cannabis
SOUTH GLENS FALLS | 131 Saratoga Avenue, Unit 7, South Glens Falls 12803
Website: https://thirdrockcannabis.com
New Jersey Cannabis News
Town Hall Meetings for Medicinal Cannabis
The NJ-CRC was quite busy this March with conducting town hall meetings for the NJ Medicinal Cannabis Program (MCP) to update its regulations and help patients get access to medical cannabis. They held 3 virtual town hall meetings: March 19, 25 and 26.
These virtual meetings is where the commission plans to consider annual license applications, conditional-to-annual conversions and renewals.
Apply for Consumption Area Licenses
Quite exciting is that consumption areas will be coming to NJ very soon. The NJCRC will begin to accept applications starting April 2, 2025.
Virginia Cannabis News
Governor Vetoes Cannabis Legislation
Governor Youngkin vetoed the cannabis legalization bill that would have legalized retail sales – again. He also limited medical cannabis provisions.
Ohio Cannabis News
GOP Senators Amend Cannabis Measure
Once again, the voter-approved measures for cannabis legislation approved by Ohioans have been set back by a super majority of state GOP Senators.
Corporate Cannabis News
Edibles Brand
Mainstream businesses are still coming strong into the cannabis space strengthening the industry and removing stigma. Edible Brands, which owns Edible Arrangements, created Edibles.com to sell high-end edibles with THC, and hemp beverages. Deliveries are planned to be done within their existing franchised network. Store-fronts are also planned for Edibles.com in the future.
International Cannabis News
France and Medical Cannabis
France has initiated medical cannabis legalization. France conducted a 3-year program with patients, prescriptions and distribution using cannabis as a medicine. The French Health Ministry has asserted success in its 3-year program and wants to move forward with a formal legal medical cannabis program.
Special Recognition – Dasheeda Dawson
The CMB Team wishes Dasheeda Dawson good luck in her next phase of championing the industry.
We thank you, Dasheeda, and want you to know that you have made a difference for everyone in the cannabis space with your many years of dedication, vision, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and kindness.
You have been integral in moving cannabis forward in all of its aspects, most recently as NYC Cannabis Czar at Cannabis NYC.
This Month’s Featured Video
Where is Wall Street: Now You’re Funded, Now You’re Not
This month, we share what is a very timely and important conference session that we presented in June at our 2024 CWCBExpo event.
In this session, we feature a discussion with financial home offices, banks, fund managers and investors who discuss the funding crunch for cannabis businesses, investing in cannabis, and what attracts the prospects of M&A for a business.
Moderated by: Chris Day, Co-Founder, Global Cannabis Network Collective (GCNC)
With Speakers:
Jennifer Makris, Director of Banking & Compliance, Cannabiz Media and Industry Consultant;
Cassidy McFarland, CPA, Owner/Franchisee, Dope CFO Certified Advisors;
Peter Su, Director of Specialty Banking, Hanover Bank
This session was recorded at CWCBExpo, Javits Convention Center, NYC, on June 5, 2024.
